


I Think I Dreamed About Her / Currently Being Rewritten

by Peach_and_bugs



Series: I Think I Dreamed About Her - Kyalin Universe [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Issues, Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, LGBTQ Character, Lesbian Character, Long Shot, Queer Character, Sister-Sister Relationship, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Teen Crush, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, kyalin - Freeform, young kyalin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:08:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 60,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26783428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peach_and_bugs/pseuds/Peach_and_bugs
Summary: We all deserved KyaLin! They will always be married in my mind!I wanted to write a romance between these ladies how I see it and live out my own gay fantasy since I am very single. I absolutely love this ship and think it definitely could have happened in the show, but we weren't that lucky though.This story follows the basic plotline of LOK, but I have shifted some ages around so that I could add some interesting drama. (I will specify what I change in each chapter)//Doesn't get Mature till CH 9//
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Lin Beifong/Kya II, Lin Beifong/Tenzin (mentioned), Pema/Tenzin (Avatar)
Series: I Think I Dreamed About Her - Kyalin Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105094
Comments: 86
Kudos: 305





	1. Just Your Average Girl Talk

**Author's Note:**

> Currently in the process of rewriting this fic. It's marked as finished but is left on a cliffhanger that I plan to get to in the rewrite.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin has been going a little too hard in her training for the police academy, which worries Tenzin. He forces her to go to have a quick healing session with Katara, but it's done by Kya who has a habit of getting Lin to talk about things she's bottled up...

With a quick gust of air right to her chest, Lin was sent flying directly into the ground below her, causing an indent to crumble around her. She staggered to her feet, wincing slightly as she gritted her teeth. Her breath quickened and grew heavy since the wind had been knocked out of her, but she was on her feet again and wasn’t finished. Dust sprinkled into her eyes causing her to squint and cover them with a hand as Tenzin landed on the ground again. 

The young Airbender hesitantly took a fighting stance again and advanced on Lin, who seemed to stumble backward as she bent the rock around her. She launched two chunks of rock at Tenzin, who dodged them with ease and was forced down again from another blast of wind. She growled in anger as Tenzin stood above her with a cheeky grin. 

“I think that’s enough-” He cut himself off by yelping when Lin kicked at his ankle, knocking him down and rolling him over in a pinned position with his wrists firmly by his head. He blinked with a dumb expression that Lin couldn’t avoid smirking at. He smiled awkwardly and his cheeks seemed to flush slightly from embarrassment. 

“Now that’s enough.” Lin finished his statement from before bluntly, removing herself from above him. “Don’t go easy on me like that again. I can take it,” she remarked in her rough, frustrated tone. She shakily got to her feet, stretching out her arms and pulling at the stubby ponytail her hair was pulled back in. A few short, black strands managed to wiggle their way out during their match. They hung loosely in her eyes and dripped with bits of sweat as she pushed them behind her ear.

She watched as her boyfriend staggered to get up and dusted off his nomad robes. Tenzin always had a habit of going easy on her when they spared together. He always denied it, but she wasnt an idiot like he seemed to think. 

“You just seemed like you,” he stopped himself when she gave him a questioning glare. “We’ve been training a lot lately and I didn’t want to go overboard is all!” he said quickly. He has noticed all of her cuts and bruises from their training and her training at the police academy. Lin rolled her eyes and grumbled something under her breath. “Why don’t you go see mom,” he offered, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

“I’m fine Tenzin. It’s just part of the job. I need to train if I’m going to pass all of my assessments. It’s not as easy as you seem to think it is. They aren’t holding anything back and I need to prove that I can handle it.” She hissed, wincing as she poked at her split knuckles.  
Tenzin gave her that worried expression that made him look like a lost bison calf. She groaned and in an exaggerated fashion rolled her eyes before caving. 

“Fine. I’ll see your mother just this once,” she muttered, causing Tenzin to smile approvingly and peck her on the cheek. Normally the display of affection would have upset her but since they were alone it was fine. She still gave him a slight glare though. 

“I’ll go tell her that you’ll be coming so she’s ready. I need to go help my father out though so I’ll see you later,” he answered in a rushed fashion as he had already started sprinting to his mother’s healing center on Airtemple Island. Lin snorted to herself with a tiny smile. Tenzin was sometimes annoying and could rub her the wrong way, but she did care for him. They had been together for nearly 3 years now and it was nice. She gathered her things and made her way to Katara’s healing center. 

She noticed Tanzin as he darted out on his way to the bison stables to meet Aang, but he was stopped by one of the young air acolyte girls. Lin didn’t pay much attention to them, but some of her curiosity grew as she heard Tenzin laugh about something she said. She stopped and watched only for a moment to see the younger girl laugh about something and grab his arm. It could mean nothing, but Lin narrowed her gaze and grumbled under her breath. 

“Are we spying on Tenzin?” a warm whisper purred close to Lin’s ear. The Earthbender lifted a fist quickly in response but stopped herself from punching a now startled Kya. With her hands healed up to show her innocence, her expression relaxed and she grinned. Lin exhaled and returned to her semi-relaxed posture. Lin never seemed to have her guard completely down, obvious just in the way she carried herself. 

“Don’t you know not to creep up on people like that?” Lin hissed in an annoyed voice. Kya simply shrugged and leaned against the building wall, crossing her arms at her chest.  
“I thought you’d see me coming with that synthesis of yours. You always bragged about it when we were kids.” she mused in her know it all tone. Lin quickly exhaled out of her nose the same way an angry bull would and looked away. 

“I was preoccupied…” she admitted. Her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment as she looked around the corner. Tenzin was now making a mad dash to the stables as the acolyte girl walked back into the air temple. 

Kya laughed and had that annoying smile on her face. Lin looked away and marched past Kya into the healing center. Kya quickly trailed after her, skipping past Lin as she casually began to walk backward so that she was still facing Lin. 

“Mom is busy with some of the other air acolytes so I’m going to do your healing session instead. Tenzin was insistent that I don’t let you go till you all healed up, so let’s make this quick shall we?” she stated in a sing-song voice like she was an elementary school teacher. She quickly grabbed Lin’s wrist before she had time to argue and pulled her into the healing room that she had already set up. 

Lin didn’t have much time to react, so when she was pulled into the room she simply stood with the door closed behind her for a moment, not moving. Kya was already gliding around the room gathering different healing materials as the water pool let off warm steam. She noticed Lin not doing anything and waved a hand at her. 

“Go on, strip down. You don’t want to make me do it myself now do you?” she said slightly suggestively, causing Lin’s eyes to widen slightly, much to Kya’s amusement. Lin gave her another annoyed look and dropped her things, removing the tank top she was wearing along with the loose sweatpants. She was left standing in her bindings till Kya practically dragged her into the healing pool. 

Her muscles tensed initially when they met the water, but they seemed to loosen and relax within moments. Kya had lit some kind of incense that gave the room a sweet, relaxing blossom sent to it and turned on a small radio that played soft instrumental music. Lin closed her eyes and took in a deep breath trying to relax enough so that Kya could heal her and she could leave. Kya gently undid the band holding back Lin’s hair, causing her black waves to fall behind and around her face. 

Lin eventually felt the water start to cling more to her skin at all of the torn and bruised areas as it swirled around her from Kya’s bending. She winced some as her body began to ache again, but her gaze became fixated on the way Kya’s hands moved with the water. She had always been fascinated by the way other forms of bending looked. Earthbending was so firm and rigid, but Waterbending was smooth and loose. 

“You need to take it easy. It’s going to be too much for your body to handle at some point,” Lin blinked back at her in response, as though Kya’s words hadn’t registered to her brain just yet. Kya smirked and her gaze went back to the water she was bending around Lin. 

“Anyways, how have things been going with Teny?” she asked nonchalantly. Lin turned her attention away from Kya’s hands and watched her expression. She seemed to be focused yet relaxed at the same time. It was strange yet comforting, to say the least. 

“Things are fine,” she said bluntly, as though she wanted to avoid the conversation altogether. Kya raised an eyebrow and smirked again, making a noise that sounded like she didn’t believe what Lin had to say.

“Come on Lin, spill. I know you have something on your mind. You can’t hide it from me,” she said it so confidently as though she could read Lin’s mind. The Earthbender seemed to sink into the water bath so that the water rested under her lower lip and her knees poked out of the water. 

“He’s started asking me about the future. Wherever there isn’t something else going on, he brings up marriage and children, and I know I’m supposed to want all of that but I just don’t. I mean, not yet anyway…” Lin fidgeted with her fingers, picking at the earth under her nails from all of her training. Kya continued her work but nodded as Lin spoke. 

“Tenzin’s always been that way. Worried about the future when he should stay in the present,” she said curtly. She stopped swirling the water around Lin since the bigger bruises and cuts had been healed and moved onto the smaller more delicate wounds. Without warning, she took Lin’s hand which she had been mindlessly picking at. Kya’s touch surprised her, causing her to curl inward slightly, pulling her knees into her chest more. 

Kya hummed under her breath as she debated how she wanted to heal Lin’s open knuckles. The cuts initially weren’t that bad but it seemed like they have scabbed over a few times before only to be opened again. Without letting go of Lin’s hand, she began rummaging around to find an anti-infection ointment. 

Lin hadn’t realized how small her own hands were compared to the Waterbender before now. Kya’s hands weren’t big per se, but her palms were long and soft with thin, delicate fingers that gently curled around Lin’s calloused palms. Kya eventually found what she wanted and without warning applied it to Lin’s knuckles. The sting surprised her and she tried to pull away, only to be quickly stopped by Kya’s gentle grasp, firming up to keep her in place. 

“Keep still. I don’t want any of this spilling,” she said without looking up as she massaged it into the wounds. Lin grumbled under her breath, causing Kya to smile and laugh gently. “Oh don’t be like that. It’s for your own good. If you kept breaking these open and getting dirt in them you would have gotten an infection and this would hurt a whole lot more.” Lin grumbled again and rolled her eyes. She knew Kya was right but she didn’t want to admit it. Kya let go of her hand and gestured for the other hand, which Lin begrudgingly gave. 

“Anyways, back to what we were discussing before, it’s fine if you don’t think you’re ready for marriage or anything. Both you and Tenzin are still young. You’ve got time,” Kya noticed Lin’s unconvinced expression and slightly smiled. “But if you want I can knock some sense into him for you,” she added with a wink, then turned her attention back to Lin’s hand. 

Lin rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the small smile as it curled the corner of her lips.

“I think I can handle Tenzin, although I would like to see you kick his ass like you did when we were kids.” Kya laughed in turn, starting to wrap Lin’s knuckles in a loose medical tape to keep the ointment on them. Lin’s expression became unsure again and she groaned loudly.

“I just don’t think I want any of that stuff ever though. I mean my mother never had time for us as kids. I wouldn’t want that for my kid after experiencing it myself. And then there’s having a kid. I don’t want to experience pregnancy. It’s long and has all of those body changes.” she shuddered at the thought, remembering when her mother was pregnant with Su. 

“Knowing Tenzin he wants to have as many kids as he can and repopulate the Airbender nation all on his own. But what if we did have a bunch of kids that all turn out to be Earthbenders?” she said in a rushed, exasperated tone, groaning loudly as she massaged the arch of her nose with her free hand. She had squeezed her eyes shut so she didn’t see Kya’s reaction, but she heard the Waterbender as she stifled a laugh. 

“Kya! It’s not funny!” Lin hissed, sitting up in the now cold bath. Kya had walked somewhere behind her, gathering some fresh clothes for Lin since she was finished. 

“Oh no, it’s funny. I never thought I’d see the great Lin Beifong freak out over boy trouble.” she chided as Lin climbed out of the bath. “Oh don’t give me that look. You know I’m only teasing.” she started before Lin could protest. The Earthbender reached for a towel but Kya bent the water off of the other girl before she got the chance. 

Lin flared her nostrils and rolled her eyes. 

“You always like to show off, don’t you.” She messed with her suddenly dry hair, brushing the few loose strands out of her eyes. “I can dry myself. I’m not a child,” she grumbled as she pulled on her fresh clothes. Kya gently jabbed her in the hip with her elbow as she passed, earning another glare from Lin. 

“Not everything is a challenge, Lin. now take it easy, especially with those knuckles. Keep them wrapped for the evening and change the bandages tomorrow morning. Take some of this and use it when you wake up. It will help the healing process speed up.” she said, giving Lin a small bottle of the ointment to go. 

“Whatever you say doc.” she knew that she wasn’t going to be taking anything easy. Not any time soon at least. The academy was a constant battle and they didn’t go easy on you just for having some busted knuckles. Lin’s gaze wandered as she pulled the new tanktop she had brought over her head and tied her short hair back in the small ponytail. Kya had changed the radio channel to some kind of dancing music and swayed her hips as she cleaned the room. 

Lin’s gaze fell on the older girl’s hips without her even noticing, and she was brought back to reality by Kya’s voice. Lin grew embarrassed thinking she had been caught, but Kya instead gestured for Lin to come over to her with her hands, not noticing Lin’s wandering gaze.  
“I love this song! Come dance with me.” she cheered, dragging Lin over to her before she could protest. 

“I should head home. I have a physical exam tomorrow -” she was cut off by Kya placing a finger against her lips. 

“I didn’t ask you to stay the night. Just dance with me. Loosen up.” she began to turn with the rhythm, her hips swaying as she held her arms over her head. Lin stood where she was, still like a rock, watching Kya as she danced on her own. The Waterbender eventually turned around and frowned, rolling her eyes. 

“Oh never mind. I’ll get you to dance with me another time then,” she said with a sigh in her voice. She made her way to the door, sliding it open and walking through it herself so that Lin could leave. Lin parted her lips to object but stopped herself for a moment. 

“Kya, can I ask you something?” she said quietly, as though she was hoping Kya wouldn’t hear her. Kya turned around on her heels and gave Lin a slightly concerned look.  
“Yeah, what’s up?” she asked, leaning against the doorframe with her hands crossed in front of her chest. 

“How do you know so much about relationships? And people for that matter. I’ve never seen you with a partner before…” she said it like she was shy, gazing down at her feet to avoid eye contact. Lin being vulnerable like this was a rare experience that few had seen. Kya had only seen Lin nervous like this when they were children, so it unnerved her slightly. 

“Well, I’ve had a couple of relationships before. Not anyone currently but that’s beside the point. All relationships are a give and take and they require work and communication. Especially romantic relationships. All of my past relationships ended on good terms because we talked and most of the time came to the mutual conclusion that splitting was best.” she said it calmly like she didn’t have to think hard about the answer.

“You want my advice? Have a serious talk with Tenzin. I love him but he can be an airhead.” she said with a curled smile. Lin thought for a moment and nodded. The idea made her cringe but it was the best idea she had at this point. 

Lin groaned to Kya’s amusement and picked up her things as she started to think about how to talk with Tenzin. She had never been the talking type obviously, so this was new territory for her. She walked out of the room with her things, Kya close by her heels. Once they exited the healing center they watched as Tenzin landed an air bison with Aang. Tenzin spotted the girls and waved, Lin waving back as he ran from the stables to the temple to meet Lin. 

“Hey Kya,” Lin murmured, turning around to face the older Waterbender. Kya tilted her head to show she was paying attention. “Thanks, for the session and the advice.” she gave Kya a timid smile and gently punched her shoulder. It was as affectionate as Lin got most of the time. It caused Kya to smile her lopsided smile and dip her head in a nod. 

“Hey, Lin! Feeling better?” Tenzin asked, sounding out of breath as he looked his girlfriend up and down, gently taking her hand in his own and kissing her quickly. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Can we talk though?” she said awkwardly, cringing at the effort. Tenzin seemed confused but nodded with a dumb smile. Lin looked back at Kya for reassurance, receiving a thumbs up from the Waterbender. 

“Don’t forget what I said about the ointment and your bandages. And take it easy!” she called cheerfully after the two as they walked to a secluded tree in the Airtemple garden to have their discussion. 

Kya’s smile shifted into a slight discontent line once they were out of view. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She knew she’d done the right thing. It would have been wrong to try and break the two up for selfish reasons, no matter how much she wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So this is the first public fanfic I have ever made so I hope you like it! I really enjoyed writing this and I would love to do more KyaLin stuff in the future because they are one of my favorite ships. I also want to do some stuff about them being together while including some of my own experiences so look out for that. But for now, this was a fun little warmup to practice my writing a but. Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> If you have any ideas then feel free to leave them in the comments! (If I use your idea then you of course be credited)


	2. Blood and Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Lin’s confrontation with Suyin, she goes to Airtemple island for healing and comfort rather than a hospital. It is assumed that she would want Tenzin’s comfort in her time of stress, but Lin seems to gravitate towards a more delicate touch...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //TW: Minor blood mention and some light swearing // 
> 
> This takes place 6 months to a year after chapter 1, so everyone is relatively the same age as they were before. Lin is still 18 and Kya is like 20

Lin couldn’t think properly on the boat ride to Airtemple Island. Her thoughts ran a million miles a second, her heartbeat like thunder in her chest. She tried to distract herself and not panic, keep herself together just a little longer. 

She held a rag to her cheek that was now dripping from the bleeding. She closed her eyes, her hand clenched against the metal railing of the boat. Once she landed on the island and let go of the railing, it was left with a large dent in it that Lin took no notice of. 

The Earthbender stumbled incoherently onto the island, practically collapsing into Tenzin’s arms. Someone at the station must have realized where she was heading and called ahead as a warning. Normally that would have made her furious, but at the moment she was grateful for the intrusive gesture. 

Tenzin asked her a million questions as he guided her to the healing center where Katara was already frantically preparing for her. Lin squeezed his arm, just trying to hold it together for a little longer. She despised all of the prying eyes from the Air acolytes and just wanted to be secluded and alone to relieve the stress of the day. 

They stumbled into the healing center, small drips from Lin’s cheek following after them making a trail of breadcrumbs leading to the injured Officer. Tenzin helped Lin settle in a comfortable spot on the floor, Katara crouching down to check on the Earthbender. Lin still hadn’t said anything since she arrived on the island. Her mind had been replaying it all over and over again. 

Catching Su, confronting her about what she had done, trying to arrest her, watching her cables snap back, then a flash of red and some of the worst pain she had ever experienced. 

Lin squeezed her eyes shut, the voices around her muffling and turning into a loud buzzing sound. She tried her hardest to muffle a sob, but the tight feeling burned her throat. The dam was going to break any moment now and she wasnt ready for any of it. 

Lin’s eyes flew open when she felt gentle hands on her shoulders and a soft murmuring voice said her name. She stared down the rich blue eyes in front of her, getting lost and swimming in them. She nearly forgot what had been happening till she felt the hands on her shoulders squeeze her gently. 

“Lin, can you hear me? Just let me know that you can hear me, ok?” Kya murmured. Her voice trembled slightly and it was obvious that she was trying to hide it. Lin blinked and nodded, understanding what Kya asked her. She parted her lips to speak but Kya pressed her thin finger to them quickly to stop her, shaking her head. 

“Don’t say anything. I don’t want you hurting yourself anymore, ok?” Lin nodded, not speaking like she had been instructed. Kya gave her a tiny smile and nodded, getting up to get something. Lin realized that they were alone in the room now and her armor had been removed without her even realizing it. She still healed the rag to her cheek, but there was little point in it now since it had soaked up as much blood as it could already. 

Kya sat in front of Lin again, gently taking the bloody rag from her. She turned Lin’s head by touching her chin. Judging by the Waterbenders reaction it wasn’t a pretty sight. Lin winced as a clean rag was gently patted against her wound, biting her lower lip to suppress any sound. 

Kya seemed to pick up on the tension in the Earthbenders expression and gently held her hand. 

“Do you want me to talk? Some people find it distracting to hear someone talk when they’re being healed.” without speaking, Lin nodded. Kya gave her another little smile, gently squeezing her hand. 

“Tenzin started to get dizzy and had to leave the room. I hope that’s ok. I think it may have been a panic attack.” she murmured, her gaze fixated on the now clean wound. 

“Ok, I’m going to have to stitch this up. It’ll hurt a bit, but that’s nothing the great Lin Beifong cant handle right.” Lin didn’t feel great at the moment, but she forced the smallest smile she could and nodded. 

Kya hadn’t been kidding. Lin had gotten stitches before in her back and once in her leg, but these felt different. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to relax her breathing. Once she was done Kya moved on, healing everything as best she could with her water. 

Watching Kya work on her face seemed to break something in Lin. Without any warning, the tears began to fall and the sob caught in her throat came out as more of a wheeze. Kya was shocked for a moment but removed the water and took Lin’s hand again. Lin froze at the sudden touch and locked eyes with Kya again. She thrust herself into Kya’s arms, causing the Waterbender to wobble for a moment. 

The two women sat on the floor of the room alone, the only sound being muffled tears from Lin and soothing murmurs from Kya. Kya gently rocked Lin as Katara used to when they were children, her chin resting on Lin’s head. She stroked Lin’s short hair that fell around her face, hiding her pink puffy eyes and nose. Lin clung to the front of Kya’s dress, the tears spilling from her eyes at a rate that they never had before. 

She choked on her air, trying to calm herself. Her whole body shook with every breath as she clung to the older woman who held her close. At some point, Katara poked her head in the room to check-in. Just from the expression on Kya’s face, she understood to leave them alone. 

Lin eventually calmed herself and let go of Kya’s dress, which was now doused in tears and some smeared blood from Lin’s wounded cheek. When Lin realized her expression became one of frustrated shame and she clutched the fabric of her pants. Kya lifted her chin gently, turning her attention away from the messy dress. 

“Hey, it's alright. It happened before and it'll probably happen again. No harm was done, ok?” she said reassuringly. Lin nodded but didn't seem convinced. They stayed quiet for a while, Kya applying a bandage to protect the now stitched and cleaned wound. Kya got up to make a bundle of supplies so that Lin could care for her wound, but she was stopped by a hand grabbing her own. 

She looked back down at Lin and nodded, scooting next to her childhood friend. Lin curled her knees into her chest and rested her unhurt cheek on Kya’s shoulder.

“You can talk now if you want, just take it easy,” Kya murmured. 

“Thank you for all of that…” Lin replied. Her voice was hollow and seemed to crack when she spoke. 

“Of course. That's my job” Kya sighed, looking down at her shoes. Lin reached out with her trembling hand and latched onto Kya’s, lighter tears sprouting into her eyes. 

“Do you think Tenzin will still think I’m pretty…” she said it so quietly that Kya wasn’t sure it was real. Lin had never seemed like the type to worry about her looks, especially her femininity, but there are always layers to people. Kya raised an eyebrow and turned slightly to face Lin who was now hiding in Kya’s brown hair. 

“He’d be fucking blinder than Toph if he didn’t,” snorting at her own joke. She had to admit though, the idea of Tenzin finding Lin unattractive because of a scar rubbed her the wrong way. It made a small part of her mad at her brother for something that hadn’t happened. 

Lin gently batted Kya’s shoulder scornfully at her swearing. She never liked profanities since her mother used them so fluidly growing up. Kya seemed to smile at this reaction, which made Lin smile the best she could. Kya had one of those contagious smiles that you couldn't help but reciprocate when you saw it. 

“But seriously, if he ever says anything, I don’t know what I’d do but I’d do something bad to him.” she clenched her thin hands into fists and jokingly held them up like she was going to punch her brother. Lin smiled and stifled a small laugh. Her cheek still hurt, but talking to Kya was a good distraction. 

“Scars are hot by the way, especially on a woman. I once dated a girl that had this big lightning scar on her arm from a firebending accident and god was that one of the most attractive things. Shows that you've been through something and came out the other side stronger.” she said with a slight shrug, relaxing again and resting her hands on her knee. 

“Thanks… that makes me feel a little better.” she murmured. Kya smiled and parted her lips to respond, but Tenzin thrust the door open without warning causing both women to jump. 

“Lin! Are you ok? I’m so sorry I wasn't here -” most of what he said was incoherent babbling and apologizing for having to leave the room. He has always had a weak stomach, so it made sense that he had left but he wouldn't stop apologizing. He crouched down in front of Lin and delicately cupped her cheek. 

“Damn it Tenzin! Knock next time. You scared the shit out of us.” Kya groaned as she stood up, shoving Tenzin's shoulder. She made a face at her brother from behind him, sticking out her tongue in annoyance and Lin had to stop herself from smiling. Kya grinned at her and went on to make the ointments for Lin. 

“It’s fine Tenzin, really. Kya did a great job.” she murmured, her voice still horse from before. Tenzin nodded, running his thumb over her cheekbone. Kya noticed the way they looked at each other, forcing herself to look away when she nearly spilled the ointment she was making. Her personal feelings didn't matter, Lin was more important right now. 

Tenzin helped Lin to her feet, holding her waist in one hand and still cupping her face in the other. 

“Do you want to stay here tonight? I’m sure mom wouldn’t mind,”

“No, I should get back to the station. A report needs to be filed and there's my mother -” 

“Are you sure? We could get dinner maybe -” Lin shook her head no. 

“I’m fine. This is going to take a while to figure out. I wouldn’t want to keep you waiting for me.” That wasn't totally true really. Lin didn’t know why but she didn’t want to be around Tenzin at the moment. Something about the injury hurt her pride and even though she would never admit it she still feared that Tenzin wouldn’t see her the same way with the large scars on her cheek.

Tenzin reluctantly nodded, still running his thumb over the bow of her cheekbone. 

“Ok. But I’ll walk you to the boat. I love you.” he murmured, gently pecking Lin’s lips.  
“I’m going to tell my father that things are alright and I’ll meet you outside, ok?” he said as he let go of her waist and left the room. Lin simply nodded, not directly meeting his gaze. Kya watched the way her muscles seemed to loosen when Tenzin let go of her. Once he had left the room Kya spoke again. 

“Well, I have some ointments bagged for you and extra bandages so that you can keep everything clean and make a safe recovery. And try to leave the inside of your mouth alone best you can, ok?” she explained, trying to meet Lin’s gaze as she handed her the healing supplies. Lin mumbled in response and Kya gently moved her chin upwards with a finger.

“Hey, I know you told Tenzin no, but do you want me to come over later? It’s good to have friends in rough times like this, and I wouldn't stay longer than you want. Plus I’d like to show you how to keep this clean so you don't mess it up.” she suggested, her fingers gently cascading over Lin’s cheek. Lin seemed to think it over before reluctantly nodding. 

“Just don’t tell Tenzin. I don’t want him getting pissy,” she said in a hoarse whisper and an almost unnoticeable smile. “Let me write down my address. I got my own place a few months back,” Kya gave her a surprised look as she found a pad of paper and a pen on one of the tables and handed it to Lin. 

“That’s great! Good for you,” she said. Lin only shrugged as she wrote her address down.  
“It's nothing special, but it's nice having my own space.” she ripped off the paper and handed it to Kya. She then bent her armor on and fit it comfortably around her figure.

“Here, take my keys and let yourself in,” she said as she fished her keys out of a pocket. She noticed Kya’s surprised expression as she took the keys and shrugged with a roll of her eyes.  
“I trust you, ok? Don’t mess that up,” she grumbled, crossing her arms. Her pale complexion pinkened slightly. Kya laughed and pulled her into a quick embrace, which surprised Lin at first. 

“I’ll be over around nine then. And I’ll bring dinner so don’t eat anything.” Lin nodded, taking the bag of healing supplies and leaving Kya alone in the room with a small wave goodbye. Kya waved back and once Lin was out of sight she moved to lean out a window that looked out on the island dock. 

From there she could see Tenzin meet Lin, pulling her close and kissing her gently. Jealousy rushed over the Waterbender and she groaned, rubbing her temple as she tried to push the feeling away. She turned away from the window, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall, slouching as she tapped her foot impatient against the wooden floor. 

It was completely wrong for her to have feelings for Lin. Not because she was a woman but because she was her brother's girlfriend. Plus she had no idea if Lin was queer, let alone if she would ever have feelings for Kya. The Waterbender took a shaky breath, squeezing her arms. Lin was happy with Tenzin, and that was all Kya wanted. 

Kya eventually left the healing room after cleaning everything up and left to change her wet and still slightly bloody dress. She planned to take a quick nap before going to Lin’s place since Lin would be home late. Before leaving, she grabbed the note with Lin’s address and shoving Lin’s keys in her pocket. 

Kya gazed down at the note, admiring the way Lin’s handwriting curled so smoothly. The Waterbender exhaled softly, tracing the letters with her index finger as she went back to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this Chapter! Chapter 3 will take place when Lin comes home and I’m going to try and make it mostly Kya’s perspective. I’m trying to make this a slow burn, so there will be a little more time with Tenzin and Lin together, but not too long! 
> 
> Feel free to leave your thoughts and any ideas in the comments!


	3. Salty Conversation and Good Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin returns to her apartment to find Kya with dinner as they had planned. The two women have a long discussion over dinner about family and love, as well as some modern beauty standards for women...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //TW: Minor blood mention and wound cleaning //

The platinum lock clicked with an easy turn of the key and the door swung open on squeaky hinges. Kya poked her head into the dark apartment and waited a moment, almost checking to see if she was alone. Once she was sure, she stepped into the apartment, clumsily pawing the wall to find a light switch. The light flicked on to reveal the comfortable little place that Lin called her own. 

The apartment was unquestionably small and minimalistic, but it seemed fitting for Lin. The furniture was organized so that the big main room was sectioned into different little areas. The sitting room had a sofa facing the wall and a few chairs with a coffee table in the middle. 

One chair was set next to a large bookcase with a small side table and a reading lamp to make a small reading spot. Behind the sofa, by the back wall, was a small dining table with chairs. The wall had a glass sliding door that opened up to a small balcony. To the right of that was a small breakfast bar that looked into the little kitchen that seemed like it hadn’t ever been used for actual cooking. 

To the left of the dining room was a hallway that had two doors, assumingly the bathroom and the master bedroom. Kya made her way into the kitchen and dropped the takeout she had brought, not bothering to unpack it since Lin would undoubtedly be late. She made her way into the living room, noticing how baron it all was. Lin was never the materialistic type, but it still saddened a part of Kya.

She flipped through the papers that littered the coffee table, finding that it was filled with old newspapers from the past few weeks and arrest reports. Perusing the arrest reports, Kya read about the colorful criminal activity that decorated the streets of Republic City. Once she had read threw a few of the files, discovering many about lillyweed and a few interesting bar fights, she moved on to explore Lin’s bookcase.

She’d never really thought of Lin as an avid reader, but it was clear she was just by flipping through a few of the books. Most had been read before based on the way the spine felt in her hand. Some of them were worn down like they had been read multiple times, and in a few books, she found little wrinkles that had to have been caused by tears. 

Kya smiled to herself and ran her fingers over the spots, feeling the different texture on the page before putting the book back in its place on the shelf. She turned on her heels and put her hands on her hips, trying to find something to keep herself occupied. She wondered into the kitchen again, and while it hadn’t been used for cooking recently, dishes still needed to be done. 

Kya turned on the faucet and rinsed off the old coffee mugs and plates that littered the sink by bending soapy water all around them. She then dried them all of with a rag, leaving them to sit and dry on the counter. It was a fluid assembly line of washing a dish with her bending, then drying it in her hands and sitting it to the side. 

Once that had been done, she noticed that it was nearly ten by now with no sign of Lin, so she settled herself on the surprisingly soft couch with one of the more warn books from Lin’s shelf, deciding to get lost in a book till the officer returned home.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kya had become invested in the book she had been reading when she heard the apartment door open and slam shut. The slam surprised her and caused her to nearly drop the book, forgetting why she was in Lin’s apartment at first. She sat up on the couch and watched as Lin rushed through the apartment and right to the kitchen, grabbing a drink from the fridge without any kind of hello. 

Kya watched her bend off her armor as she walked into her room, then put the bag she had given Lin in the bathroom before eventually slouching down on the couch next to her. Before Lin had been quiet and timid, a rare sight to see really. This Lin, however, was more expected. Kya stayed quiet for a moment, watching Lin as she crossed her arms and bounced her knee. She feared saying the wrong thing, but some context would be nice. 

“So, I brought dinner if you want some. I had them make it extra hot thinking you would be late so it should still be warm,” she spoke cautiously, avoiding striking any nerves. Lin grunted in response and kept staring forward. Kya squirmed in her seat, not knowing what she should do. She eventually decided to get up and dish out the food.

Using the now clean dishes, she divided out some of the noodled and soup she had ordered, as well as a few chicken-pig potstickers for both of them. As she had planned, the food was still warm, even after sitting on the counter. She put Lin’s plate on the table, letting her come and get it when she was ready, and sat herself down to eat. 

The smell of food drove Lin to her feet and she threw herself down to eat, a gruff thanks being the only thing she said. 

“Make sure you chew on the opposite side and be careful. I don’t want you breaking your stitches.” Lin gave Kya a look like she was about to protest, but Kya hadn’t looked up from her meal. Lin did as she was told, eating slowly and carefully to keep her stitches in tacked. 

Kya finished long before her but waited for patiently for Lin to finish. She rested her chin in her palm, drawing circles on the table with her index finger as she tried to think about how she should approach her question.

“Based on how you came home I’m assuming things didn’t go well with Su,” she spoke in a soft tone, gazing down at her fingers as Lin finished her meal. The Earthbender rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly as she was still chewing. 

“Toph let her off the hook. She ripped up the report and is sending her to live a babied life with our grandparents,” she stated with exasperation, clearly still upset about the conversation. 

“She said she was disappointed in both of us, calling me a bad sister when I was just doing my damn job! Su was the one causing crime in the city, what was I supposed to do, not arrest her? She probably would have pissed on me for that too!” 

Kya didn’t say anything. She simply nodded and let Lin express what she needed to. She had found that this was the best way to connect with Lin when she was angry. Let her rant till she let the steam off, then try and get her to open up.

“And then there’s Su being upset about her friends when she was the one that permanently scared me because she was dumb and reckless. She never even apologized! She knows what she did and she’s obviously ashamed because she wouldn’t even look at me, yet she doesn’t say anything!” 

That seemed to be the end of her ranting, so Kya stood up and took their plates, leaving them in the kitchen to be cleaned later. She spoke as she walked back to her seat. 

“Maybe she needs a little time to process it all. What she did wasn’t right and it seems like she knows that, but you’ve never been a family that was good with words. Apologizing is probably just as hard for her as it would be for you,” Lin parted her lips to speak, but stopped herself, knowing that Kya was right even if it wasn’t what she wanted to hear. She clenched her fists on the table and took a deep breath, avoiding raising her voice. 

“Why aren’t you on my side?” she grumbled, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. She sounded like a child throwing a tantrum rather than an adult, causing Kya to roll her eyes slightly and sigh. 

“Noone said anything about sides. I’m not choosing a side. I’m trying to rationalize your sister’s feelings so neither of you makes a heat of the moment mistake.” Kya squeezed her eyes shut and massaged the bridge of her nose, trying to think of how she wanted to word her point.

“Yes, Su is in the wrong here, and yes, your mother shouldn’t have said what she said to you, but maybe her punishment is just. You always had strict grandparents, so maybe strict structure will do Su some good.” The Waterbender reached out a hand, sliding it between Lin’s loosening fist. 

“Just keep that in mind, ok? You have a right to be mad, and while it doesn’t seem like it, Su is facing big consequences for what she’s done.” Lin turned her gaze back to Kya. They both looked tired, physically, and mentally. Lin sighed, squeezing Kya’s had to show she agreed. 

“Why do you have to be right?” she grumbled, her nostrils flaring slightly as she sharply exhaled. Kya gave her a contagious smile, tilting her head so that her cheek rested in her palm. 

“Because I’ve always been the rational, smart one,” she teased, innocently batting her eyelashes. Lin scoffed and her eyes widened. 

“You? The rational one? I seem to remember a time when you punted Bumi off the island because he ate the sweet buns you had been saving. Doesn’t seem very rational to me. Poor guy had to be fished out of the ocean by Katara.” Kya rolled her eyes as Lin retold the story. 

“That may not have seemed rational to you, but those where good buns. He had no right to eat them when I marked them as mine.” Kya still seemed sour about the topic but smiled anyway. “It was funny seeing him flap around like an elephant koi though.” 

The two women stayed quiet for a time, just gazing at each other, almost waiting for the other to make the first move into a new conversation. 

“Did you have anything else on your mind? It’s fine if not, but I’m here now so you might as well talk, right?” she asked with a shrug, her elbow propped up on the table and holding her chin. Lin averted her gaze. Part of her wanted to talk but wasn’t sure how to get that vulnerable.

“You mentioned Tenzin not finding you pretty before. Is that something you worry about a lot?” Kya started. She noticed the way Lin seemed to recoil at the question. 

“Lin? Please talk to me. I want to help you…” she murmured, leaning forward to try and gage Lin’s reaction based on her expression. The Earthbender squeezed her crossed arms, her brow furrowed as she blankly stared at a spot in front of her as she tried to hold back any emotion. Kya moved to speak again, but Lin beat her to it. 

“I know I’m not conventionally pretty, and I’ve seen other girls flirt with Tenzin when they don’t think I’m around. I guess sometimes I worry that one day he’ll realize he wants someone not like me and he’ll leave.” she seemed to growl as she admitted her fear, her knee bouncing quickly under the table from the bubbling anxiety. She still didn’t look in Kya’s direction, fearful of what the Waterbender would say. 

Kya didn't know what she should say really. She wanted to tell Lin how she thought she was gorgeous in her own way and how she shouldn’t worry about what Tenzin thought. She wanted to tell Lin about all the beautiful parts of her that Kya saw, but that would be crossing a line of no return. 

“Well, do you think you're beautiful?” Kya murmured. Lin seemed surprised by the question. The turned slightly and faced Kya more. She wasnt really sure how to answer. 

“I don’t know. I mean, my mother never really taught me to care much about my looks so I never really did, but as time went on and I started going out with Tenzin, I started to worry.” she murmured, sounding surprised at the realization. “I think I worry more about what Tenzin thinks of me rather than what I think of myself.” 

“What Tenzin thinks shouldn’t matter though. Feeling beautiful should be something you feel for yourself and not anyone else. You should look and feel good for yourself, and seeing your partner feel comfortable in their own skin is one of the most attractive things honestly.” Towards the end, Kya got lost in her own words and got to a deep level that Lin didn't fully understand, but she appreciated it anyway.

“I don't think I’m explaining it really well. What I’m trying to say is -” she cut herself off when she noticed Lin smile at her. 

“No, I get it. I should feel pretty for me, not Tenzin.” she restated Kya’s words with a long sigh at the end. “It feels kind of silly though,” she admitted. Kya nodded slightly and shrugged, leaning back in her chair slightly. 

“The standards for female beauty are silly. You should just feel comfortable how you want to and make changes that you want to make for yourself.” Kya huffed, seeming to grow frustrated as she talked about society. Lin stifled a laugh as Kya crossed her arms like an angry child. 

“Thank you Kya, for everything today,” Lin said unprompted after a small pause. Kya’s eyebrows raised slightly and she smiled, nodding her head. 

“Of course. I’d do anything for you, you know that” she said. She dramatically stood up and stretched her arms. She didn’t seem to notice the slight color that appeared in Lin’s cheeks. 

“Alright. It’s late so I should show you how to clean your wound before I go. Does that sound ok?” she asked, hands on her hips as she gave Lin a lopsided smile. The Earthbender nodded and stood herself, showing Kya to her bathroom.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Lin facing the mirror, Kya slowly pulled the bandage away. It had been on for a few hours, so there was some old blood clinging to it, but it wasn’t that bad. She got a wet washcloth and patted it clean, showing Lin what to do in the mirror. 

“There may be some slight swelling in the next few days but that shouldn't last long. You should keep it as clean as you can and always have it covered. The inside of your mouth should heal fast, but be careful not to bite it when you eat,” she explained it all to Lin, not looking away from the wound whatsoever. 

When Lin mumbled an understanding response, Kya abruptly realized how close their faces were and her breath hitched for a moment. She blinked quickly, clearing her throat as she tried to play off her sudden flash of anxiety, fearing that Lin would feel how fast her heartbeat was getting with her syntheses. She calmed herself with a few quick breaths and showed Lin how to apply the ointments that she had made. 

“These are a watertribe remedy that my mother taught me to make. They help with preventing infection and inflammation. They might also make you sleep better. They've had that effect on some people before.” she explained with a shrug, applying the new bandage over the wound. 

“You should do that in the morning and the evening and over time the stitches will dissolve as the wound heals, so just be mindful of that. Once you notice that it’s scabbing over healthily you won't need the bandages, but you should still be careful,” she explained as she washed the leftover ointment off of her hands. 

Lin nodded as she spoke, taking in everything she was saying. Kya moved to leave the bathroom but stopped when she noticed Lin staring at her reflection, unmoving with a furrowed brow. Kya stood next to her and took her hand. 

“Hey, look at me…” she murmured, turning Lin’s chin gently. She squeezed her hand reassuringly then gently placed her hand on Lin’s bandaged cheek similar to how Tenzin had earlier. She didn’t really touch it, rather her hand cupped the air between her and Lin’s face. 

Lin seemed stiff, not really sure what to feel about this situation. She squeezed Kya’s hand and her eyes glanced at the hand so close to her face. When she looked back into Kya’s eyes, they seemed like two large oceans that she could swim in for miles and she unknowingly grew warmer when she got close. 

“Remember what we talked about before? I want you to be you, for you. This,” she gestured to Lin’s cheek with a gentle flourish of her hand, “doesn’t define you as a person. It’s just something that happened, ok?” Kya’s voice was soft like it was made from turtleduck down, and it put Lin’s jumbled mind at ease. Her blue eyes shifted from their focused spot on Lin’s cheek and met the Earthbenders forest green gaze. 

The Waterbender smiles and slightly nodded. Lin hadn’t noticed it before, but Kya’s nose crinkled when she smiled. They hadn’t been close enough for her to notice it before, but with them both standing in Lin’s tiny bathroom they could notice all the little details in each other's expressions. 

After a moment of not realizing she had been staring, Lin nodded, swallowing quickly to try and avert her gaze. Kya loosened her grip on Lin’s hand and slowly pulled away, leaving Lin alone in the bathroom. 

Lin stood motionless as she heard Kya return to the kitchen and start the faucet. Before leaving she gazed at her reflection again, this time feeling slightly more at peace with herself as Kya’s words played on a loop in her head. She turned her chin, lightly touching the bandage on her cheek, as her mind wandered to when Kya had been so close to her. 

She didn’t want to admit it, but she’d felt different when the Waterbender was so close. She had felt warmer, she felt nervous, she felt her heartbeat quicken strangely. She didn’t understand why. Maybe it was the adrenalin from the day? It had to be that. She sighed sharply and shook her head. It was just the stress from today, nothing to overthink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really happy with how this chapter turned out, especially the ending. 
> 
> I see people write Lin as a very character that doesn’t care about other people’s opinions, and while I think that could be true for older Lin, part of me thinks she could have been a bit self-conscious as a teenager/young adult. That could just be me projecting though. 
> 
> I recently made the connection that if I get into a relationship, that means someone finds me attractive, and I never really thought about that before. I kind of wanted to convey that similar fear I had when having that realization with Lin and her relationship with Tenzin, and this allows some spicy dialog in future chapters!


	4. Rocky, Broken Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Tenzin and Lin have a difficult confrontation about their relationship, Lin sits down with Aang to talk things over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //TW: Swear Warning // 
> 
> This is another year time skip, so everyone is a year older. Lin and Tenzin have been distant from each other and struggling in their relationship ever since Lin’s injury. At this point, they have been dating for close to 5 years.

“How long was all of this going on for!” Lin stomped her foot in rage, rock piler’s shooting out of the ground inches away from the Airbender in front of her.

“Not that long, but it wasn’t supposed to mean anything! She confessed that -”

“Well, it obviously meant something if you’re breaking up with me!” 

“Lin, it’s not -”

“It's not what Tenzin? Are you going to pull that ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ bullshit with me? Are you a fucking child?” The Earthbender threw her arms out in exasperation, causing Tenzin to flinch back in fear of more rocks being launched in his direction. He now second-guessed if being blunt was the right way to talk with Lin.

He knew that breaking up was going to cause a reaction, but maybe he shouldn’t have done it in his mother’s garden. Lin was always a grounded person, so he never thought her bending would go this haywire with her emotions. But here he was in his mother’s garden, avoiding the angry rocks that flew out of the ground with nearly every step Lin took. 

“So let me see if I understand. You and I have been in a relationship for four years. Four years Tenzin! And you’re breaking up with me for a girl that you've been seeing for a couple of weeks?” Lin couldn’t fully wrap her head around it all. 

“I don’t think I would put it exactly like that but -” He stopped himself before he could dig his grave any deeper. The pure anger in Lin’s glare seemed to stab at him like knives. He knew Lin wouldn’t ever intentionally hurt him but with the way she looked at him, she looked like she was out for blood. 

After some pacing, Lin eventually stopped and went silent, which was almost worse than her yelling. She now stood still, tapping her foot against the ground impatiently. Her eyes were clamped shut as she massaged the bridge of her nose. She had crossed her other arm and squeezed her bicep in frustration as she considered everything that was happening. 

She and Tenzin had been strained in their relationship recently. He was ready to take a step that Lin still wasn’t sure about. With Lin’s career taking off in a steady upward climb she wasn’t sure if she wanted to take the family road in life and stop that. She had avoided having that conversation with Tenzin for as long as she could, so this must be the consequence.

After some time of Lin standing in the middle of the disheveled garden, back turned to Tenzin, the Airbender cautiously reached out, gently grasping Lin’s shoulder. She flinched but didn’t pull away or look at him. He took this as a sign that he could proceed.

“I just think that this is best for both of us. We both want different things in our lives and neither of us can fulfill what the other needs.” Lin wanted to turn and hit him. Scream about how cruel it was, him seeing another woman and being the one that ended the relationship, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. 

When she felt the tears spring to her eyes she shoved him off of her, causing the Airbender to stumble slightly. Tenzin reached for her again but missed as she stormed off. 

“Lin! Please, can’t we just -” He gave up trying to stop her once she had left him alone. Part of Lin wanted him to follow her. Stop her and tell her that he made a mistake and that he wanted to fix things, just so that she could reject him and feel like she was the bigger person, but she knew there was little chance of that happening.

She kept it together as she left the garden, intending to get on the ferry and back to work to distract herself, but she couldn’t bring herself to. Instead, she went to one of the most secluded spots on Airtemple Island. A cliff with a large tree and bench that overlooked the ocean and the city. She climbed the small slope and collapsed onto the stone bench. She gripped the edge of the seat with both of her hands.

Lin wasn’t normally a person that cried. She could only recall a few times in her life when she cried, and they became much rarer as she had grown. But now as she sat alone, newly broken up with and a mind swimming with all different kinds of thoughts, she couldn’t stop herself.

She hated the thoughts, but she hated how much she believed them more. A small part of her tried to remember Kya’s words from before. That was what she had been doing when she felt bad about her injury since it had happened. She would remember what Kya told her about feeling beautiful for herself, not Tenzin, and normally that seemed to help.

At the moment, she could hear Kya’s voice in the depth of her mind, but it was muffled and overshadowed by the negative cloud above her. No matter how far she reached, trying to believe what Kya had told her, she was pushed back and crowded by her insecurities. It overwhelmed her and the tears poured from her eyes. After a while of quietly crying to herself, she felt the vibrations of light footsteps approaching her.

“Go away Tenzin. You got the point across. Can’t you just -” she stopped when she realized it was Aang rather then Tenzin. Airbenders all felt the same with her synthesis. She looked away, face flushed in embarrassment that the Airbender had caught her crying. She frantically mopped up the tears as best she could when Aang sat beside her. 

“Why are you here Aang.” Lin sounded like she was trying to be distant and cold, but the hurt she felt managed to slip out in her voice as it broke. The avatar stayed quiet, his grey gaze washing over the young Earthbender. It was the same look he gave her when she had stormed off during training sessions as a child.

“Tenzin told me what happened and I wanted to see if you were ok. I could tell you didn’t take it well based on the state of Katara’s garden.” His voice was soft and kind, with a small laugh at the mention of the garden. Lin shied away from embarrassment. She hadn’t meant to destroy everything. Her Earthbending just seemed to react to her feelings.

“I’m sorry about that. I’ll clean it up before I go,” Aang shook his head with a small smile. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll fix it later. Katara wanted to remodel things anyway.” Lin wasn’t exactly sure why Aang was here with her, but she had to admit that she was grateful for it. Part of her had always seen the Airbender as the father figure she never had growing up. She still couldn’t meet his gaze, so she watched over the ocean and the city from their perch on the cliff. 

“Lin. Do you want to talk about it? I know that I’m Tenzin’s father so it might be a little strange, but I want to be here for you if you need me,” he said simply. 

Aang was similar to Kya in so many other ways, but they were two of the few people that Lin would talk to when they offered an ear to listen. She never liked discussing her feelings, but it was easier with Kya and Aang. She didn’t have to worry about any judgment from them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself before starting. 

“I should have seen it coming. We’d been distant and arguing the last few months and we both knew that the other wanted something completely different. I should have been ready for it, but when he said he’d caught feelings for someone else...” she trailed off, knowing exactly who Tenzin had been talking about. That Air acolyte girl that always seemed to be hanging around. 

She clutched the seat of the bench again, taking a deep breath so that she wouldn’t cry more. She loosened her grip when she felt the bench crack slightly.

“I just feel so stupid. We spent four years together, and I think we always knew it wouldn’t work out. Now I’m all alone and he’s going to move on to another girl. I feel like I was wasting my time.” she said it with a hiss in her voice, growing angry again from the hurt she felt. Aang gently rubbed a hand on her back to help steady the Earthbender. 

“I don’t think you wasted your time. Tenzin does care about you. He always has and I think a part of him always will. But he was right.” Lin looked up at him, lips parted slightly to argue, but she stopped herself when Aang heald up a hand.

“You want and need different things in life that you can’t seem to get from each other. You are a young woman with a flourishing career while Tenzin wants a family life. He doesn’t want to hold you back and you don’t want him to miss out on that father experience, right?” Lin nodded, her brow furrowed as she thought about it. Aang continued on with his thought.

“You two had fun while you were together though, didn’t you?” Lin nodded again. Aang spoke the same way Kya did. Lin got that feeling where she knew he was right, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

She groaned and dropped her face into her hands with mixed frustration. 

“It still hurts though…” she murmured, her voice muffled by her hands. Aang nodded in response, still gently rubbing her back. 

“And it will probably hurt for a while, but you’re strong. With a little time, you can get through it. I know it.” With that he stood up, giving Lin a quick pat on the back. Lin uncovered her face and looked up at Aang. It wasnt what she wanted to hear, but he was right in the end. 

“It’s also ok to be upset about it. If you want to feel bad and take some time off to be sad, then do that.” He added. “That doesn't make you a weak person,” Lin nodded, taking in what he said. She was never the type that let herself feel things often, so it was a good reminder. She stood up, facing the Airbender with a weak smile. 

“Thanks, Aang. I needed that,” she reached out, being drawn into a hug. It wasn’t something she often wanted or allowed, but at the moment it was a comfortable gesture that put her at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got some writer's block while writing this chapter so its a lot shorter than usual. The next chapter will definitely make up for that though.
> 
> I personally really love Tenzin. He’s one of my top 5 favorite LOK characters and has such great grumpy dad energy, so writing him doing such a dick thing hurt my heart. At the same time though, part of me feels like teen Tenzin was kind of an entitled dick without realizing it since he was so fawned over for being an Airbender as a child. 
> 
> I also think that them breaking up at a younger age always made more sense. The show made it seem like they had been together for 10+ Years, and Tenzin and Lin don't seem like those kinds of people. They had different goals in life that clashed with the goals of the other person. Pema definitely overstepped when she confessed, but in the long run, she was always better suited for Tenzin and the Air nation
> 
> But anyway, they are broken up now! Meaning that KyaLin can truly start now! The next chapter will be about the girls again.


	5. Girls Night In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin just turned 20 a few months ago and Kya insists that they spend some girl time together as a late celebration. Despite her apprehensions, Lin agrees. But maybe she has some other unrealized reason for saying yes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //TW: Alcohol, body image talk, some light swearing, and mentions of sexual relationships//
> 
> This chapter is much longer than my previous chapters, so be prepared! And I'm working on an art piece to go with it, the chapter will be updated when that is done. (Ch 6 will probably take a bit longer since this chapter was so long.)
> 
> There is also a small personal anecdote about body issues and some of my own experiences/thoughts in the notes at the end if you are interested

Kya hung up the phone in her mother's office, then rushed out with a wise smile. She bolted past Katara, who was entering the office to do paperwork, causing Kya to spin around on her heels as she ran and waved to her mother. 

“Thanks for the phone mom!” she called, twirling around again as she bolted around the corner. Katara smiled and waved after her daughter. 

She was happy to see Kya in such high spirits. Katara never mentioned it, but she worried about Kya. She always had this happy outer shell, but her mother could see how tired Kya really was most of the time. 

Ever since she was a child, Kya had always felt the need to help others and be the “responsible one”, which was surprising because it went against the wild, nomadic nature that she had. Katara saw it, so did Aang, but they didn’t know if Kya saw it herself. She loved helping people, that was true, but her parents worried that she allowed too many people to need her. 

Katara remembered telling her children stories all about their travels around the world. All the kids enjoyed their stories, but Kya seemed so much more drawn into them than anyone. She would talk about seeing the world all on her own and getting into all kinds of trouble, but now she was 21. Katara wondered why she hadn’t left on that adventure years ago.

But seeing Kya in such high spirits eased her worries slightly. 

Kya rummaged around her room until she found her wallet. She had been saving her money for a while, but she had a little bit to spare, so she stuffed it into her pocket. She quickly rushed off the island and onto a boat to the city to get some things for the upcoming evening. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kya struggled to carry all four of her bags at once, having to put one of them down by her feet to knock on the apartment door. She actually hit it with her elbow more than knock, but it still got Lin to open the door. The Earthbender seemed surprised by how much stuff Kya had bought, and before she could say anything she found herself holding two of the bags in her arms. 

“Can you take those into the kitchen? I’ll be right behind you!” Kya called. Her voice was loud and had a singsong tone to it, expressing that she was clearly excited about what she had planned. Lin rolled her eyes but failed to conceal the small smile that crept to her lips. 

She placed the two bags on her counter as Kya practically danced her way into the kitchen after her. She hummed one of those old nomad songs that they had learned from their parent's stories growing up. She then started unpacking the many groceries she had brought along with her before even saying hello.

Lin watched her, still slightly confused about what Kya was planning and why she had bought so many groceries with her. Kya eventually caught her staring and raised an eyebrow. 

“What? See something you like?” she said it completely as a joke, turning away before seeing the color that rushed into Lin’s cheeks. 

“W-what? No! I was just trying to figure out what you had planned,” she said defensively, starting to unpack one of the bags herself. She pulled out a small variety of market fish and a pack of seaweed noodles. 

“Well, it was meant to be a surprise, but I was planning on us making a home-cooked meal!” she chirped. She hadn’t stopped moving since she arrived, doing a little dance as she stood in place despite there being no music. Lin’s eyebrow raised when Kya said “we.”

“I don’t think you’ve noticed, but I don’t really cook,” she said, leaning against the countertop as Kya organized all of her ingredients. “I don’t think I even have any pans actually.” with that, Kya began to unpack the last of her bags. 

“Well happy birthday to you then!” she sang, revealing the small cooking set she had bought while she was out. It consisted of a few pots and pans in different sizes, along with some basic cooking utensils that Lin likely didn’t own. They were an olive green color on the outside, which Lin thought must be a nod to her Earthbending heritage. Kya seemed very proud of herself since she had one of the widest grins that Lin had seen. 

“Oh. wow, thanks for that,” the Earthbender seemed unimpressed by her supposed gift. Kya frowned, putting the pots and pans down on the counter. 

“Well, you don’t have to sound so excited. No one else was going to buy them for you and I know you’d never get any for yourself, so I took it into my own hands.” Kya tried to seem offended, but she couldn’t conceal her smile. Lin scoffed slightly and rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, your right. But they probably won’t ever get used,” Kya shrugged as she pulled out a cutting board and a knife. She got one of the new pots and filled it with water, setting it on a burner to boil. 

“In that case then I’ll just have to come over and teach you how to cook so that my money isn’t wasted.” She got out a large bowl as she spoke, mixing some olive oil around in it, then set it to the side as she moved on to washing and cutting up vegetables. Lin watched how she used the knife with interest. She was so quick about it, as though she didn’t have to worry about cutting herself. 

“Do you wanna just watch me or do you plan on helping out?” she asked, noticing Lin’s interested gaze. Lin blinked out of her daze but still seemed clueless about what to do, causing Kya to grin and dramatically roll her eyes. 

“Ok, you stand here and I’ll show you how,” she gently guided Lin to where she had been standing in front of the cutting board and grabbed a carrot. She gave Lin the knife, then standing partly behind her she held her hand, guiding her through the rhythmic motion that she should use to cut the vegetable into small orange discs. 

“There you go! That’s not so hard, is it?” she snagged a bit of carrot and popped it into her mouth with a smug look, scrunching up her nose. Lin couldn't help but laugh slightly. “You keep doing that and all start the noodles.” she turned her attention to the now boiling water, gently patting Lin’s bicep as she passed her in the small kitchen. 

Kya’s touch caused Lin to flinch slightly, but not enough for the Waterbender to notice. Lin watched out of the corner of her eye as Kya pulled out new pans and put two of them on open burners. She put the seaweed noodles in the boiling pot and they instantly started to bubble and soften. She started mixing up the cut vegetables in the olive oil, tossing some assorted spices in with them. 

The vegetables were then thrown into one of the pans on the stovetop. The other pan now sizzled with the fish that Kya had bought. Lin was slightly amazed by how Kya could pay attention to all of the different pots and pans at once without anything catching on fire or burning. 

Kya hadn’t realized how small the kitchen actually was before. She took note of that now that they were both moving around within it. As they prepared the meal there was a lot of awkward bumping and apologizing from both parties, but things slowed down once everything was cooked and ready for plating. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin sat in her dining room, as she had been instructed, as Kya brought out a shallow bowl of noodles mixed with the vegetables and a side of fish. Lin was surprised at how appetizing it actually looked. Not that she doubted Kya’s cooking ability. 

“Do you want anything to drink?” Kya called as she made her way back into the kitchen after setting down her meal. She opened the fridge, which she had stocked with leftovers and other groceries, leaning against the door slightly. “I brought some of that bottled green tea that you like, and some wine,” Lin looked up from the bite she was taking. 

“Kya, I just turned 20. I’m not supposed to drink yet.” she furrowed her brow, trying to seem serious. Kya turned away from the fridge, hands on her hips with a questioning expression. Lin gave her a questioning look, eyebrows raised. 

“Lin, it’s one year, and you’ve had alcohol before. I know that you're a hotshot cop now,” she made a flourish with her hand in a teasing manner, “You can have a drink with me without anyone finding out. Just don’t go screaming about it in the street.” she said as she pulled out the white wine she had bought along with two glasses. 

“It's a good thing I brought glasses from home!” she scoffed lightheartedly to herself, clearly amused. Lin rolled her eyes, taking another bite of her meal. Kya eventually settled down with a glass for herself and one for Lin, along with the bottle. Lin told herself she wasn’t going to have any of the wine since she was a responsible officer, and she didn't want Kya mocking her. They ate in silence for a moment before Kya piped up.

“So, how does 20 feel?” Followed by taking a mouthful of the noodled and vegetables. She had her elbow resting on the table as her hand propped up her cheek. Lin finished chewing the portion she had just taken before answering. 

“Doesn’t really feel any different than 19 did honestly,” She had been sneaking tempted glances at the wine glass as they talked. At this point, she caved and took a sip. This caused her to get a look from Kya that was the equivalent of her saying “I win” without actually saying anything. Lin rolled her eyes as she put the glass back down. 

“Anyway, things have kind of been the same. I have work every day, where I patrol, and sometimes something interesting happens, then I come home and do paperwork.” she shrugged as she had another bite of her noodles. Kya nodded as Lin spoke. 

After a few quick bites, Kya finished her meal, which would have surprised Lin if they hadn’t grown up together. She always used to eat fast and finish first. She wanted to get the eating part out of the way at a meal so that she could focus on the conversation. 

“You don’t have anything else going on right now? No ‘special friends’ visiting?” Kya asked suggestively as she picked up her wine glass, swirling the contents a few turns before taking a sip. Lin gave her a surprised look as she finished her plate. 

“What? No. I’ve never been into that,” she wrinkled her nose slightly at the thought. Kya seemed surprised, finishing off her wine in a single sip. She didn't pause as she poured another glass. 

“Why not? There’s nothing wrong with a hookup every now and then,” she stopped herself before she said ‘after a breakup,’ not wanting to bring up Tenzin herself in fear of upsetting Lin. The two had split a few months back, very close to their 5th anniversary. Kya loved her brother, but it was honestly a dick move. Seeing him with another girl only a few weeks after didn't help the situation either. 

Lin stood up, taking the dishes into the kitchen, and shrugged. 

“I don't know. I mean, I've never really dated outside of Tenzin, and that only happened because we knew each other as kids. I honestly never thought I would date anyone till Tenzin asked me out,” she said as she put the dishes in the sink to be washed later. She returned to the dining room and after side-eyeing the wine for a moment refilled her glass. 

“Well, then now's the time to start!” She got up and followed Lin as she went to the couch with her glass and the wine bottle. “I find that it’s a freeing experience where you don’t have to deal with all the super emotional stuff, but you still get to have a good time.” The two women sat at opposite ends of the couch, Kya stretching out more than Lin. Lin rolled her eyes as Kya gave her little speech. 

“That just sounds like more of your hippie shit,” she scoffed, taking another sip of her wine. Kya laughed and nudged Lin with her foot after taking her shoes off. 

“Yeah, well hippies know a thing or two about loosening up. You could learn something. Your aura is so tense all the time, maybe a -” Lin gave her a look of shock with wide eyes, causing Kya to burst into a fit of laughter. 

Lin rolled her eyes, taking another sip of her wine. A small smile crept to her lips, but it seemed like she didn’t notice. Her cheeks and nose had a soft rosiness to them, apart from the wine and part from embarrassment due to the topic of conversation. Kya took note of that. It was a cute quirk that she could tease Lin about later.

Unexpectedly, Lin turned her attention back to Kya. Not just her attention actually, but she turned her body completely around, letting her right leg stay on the floor while crossing her left leg, her back against the arm of the couch. She gazed at Kya intently, as though she was intently thinking something over before speaking. Both women stayed very quiet until Kya cleared her throat. 

“Imma turn some music on. That ok?” she asked as she was already getting up. Lin blinked out of her daze, and watched her, nodding quickly as she took another sip of her wine. Kya put two and two together as she turned the radio on. Lin was still as much of a lightweight as she was when they were teenagers. 

She flopped back down on the couch, pouring herself another glass. She started to recall the last time the two drank together. They had been 16 and 17 at the time, and it had been some leftover beer that Bumi had bought instead of good wine. She remembered that Lin had about one and a half and already she became the most talkative she’d ever been. Kya tried to hide her smile as she took another sip. 

“What’s on your mind? You have that weird look where you want to say something but your head is getting in the way,” Kya mused, propping her legs up again on the couch. Lin dumbly blinked at her for a moment before recalling what she had been thinking about. 

“Did Tenzin talk to you at all before he broke up with me?” she turned her gaze down to her glass as she traced the rim with her thumb. 

“No, but we talked afterward. It wasn’t a very nice conversation I’ll admit. Noone really liked how he handled it,” Kya answered honestly. She wasn’t going to beat around the bush. Her family loved Lin and they made it apparent to Tenzin that he didn’t handle things well. 

“Did he tell you why? I mean, I feel like he told me what I wanted to hear rather than what he actually meant.” Kya shook her head. 

“I doubt he would have done that. My brother is an idiot and sometimes doesn’t think, but he knows when to be honest. He told me he didn’t want you to be holding each other back in your paths,” 

“So it wasn’t about my injury?” Lin’s voice was very quiet. The instrumental music became the only sound in the room for a heartbeat. 

“It had nothing to do with how you look,” Kya reassured her, her voice gentle like satin “Do you still worry about how you look? It’s fine if you do,” Lin nodded. 

“I tried remembering what you told me, but it’s hard. I might look like I’m confident, but really I have no idea how I feel about my appearance,” Lin spoke freely now. She kept her eyes low, small strands of her black hair slipped out behind her ear and dangled in front of her face.

“I’m not confident the way you are,” Kya seemed surprised. Lin was always a quiet person just by nature. She always kept the little things inside, but when she drank that seemed to loosen her up a bit more. Some of that fear was washed away maybe.

“Everyone struggles with feeling confident. I know I did and still do from time to time,” Lin gave her a confused look as though she didn’t believe what Kya said. The Waterbender smiled gently. 

“I know for a fact that I’m not the ‘Skinny pretty’ girl that you see in magazines or papers. I’m curvy and I have a little bit of a belly. I’ll be the first to admit that,” She could tell that Lin was looking her up and down now with her gaze. Her focused attention and furrowed brow quickened Kya’s heartbeat for a moment, but she kept going with her point. 

“Even though it’s just natural and something I can’t change, I still feel self-conscious about it sometimes. Not as often now, but I felt that way a lot as a teenager.” Kya continued. She readjusted her position on the couch, pulling her knees into her chest slightly and sitting up more. She thought more about what she should say.

“I actually remember hearing boys in school say that they would date me ‘if I lost a little weight,’” She scoffed and rolled her eyes at the comment from middle school, putting up air quotes with her fingers. Lin had a dumbfounded expression, one that was definitely more dramatic than normal for her. 

“What? That happened? Why didn't you tell me! I would have kicked their ass’ so hard!” Lin seemed to get genuinely angered by the old comment, which was very amusing to Kya.

“Yeah, it did. I probably didn’t tell you because I didn't want to cause a problem. It was so long ago, I don’t even remember,” she squeezed her eyes shut as she faked trying to recall why she hadn’t talked about it. In reality, she remembered exactly why. She didn’t want to mention it and then have Lin think the same thing about her.

“Anyways, not the point. The point is that I was completely healthy for my age and my size was completely fine and beautiful, but I almost let an opinion that some boys had change me. Which is what I don’t want you to do.” Lin seemed to ponder what Kya said but eventually, she nodded. 

“We don’t live in a world where everyone looks and acts the same. If we did, life would be boring. The point of life is to stand out and be who you want to be, but sometimes that’s hard when the media makes it seem like we all need to be the same,” she went on. She turned her attention back to Lin. 

The Earthbender seemed like she understood what Kya was saying for the most part. She smiled and nodded as Kya spoke. Seeing Lin with a persistent smile was definitely a rare sight, but it was also a cute one. 

“I don’t think I ever wanted to change for Tenzin. I just feared that I would have to eventually. I’m glad I didn’t though,” Lin swirled the last sip of her wine around in the glass, staring at it as she spoke. 

“I’m glad you didn’t too,” Kya mused, watching Lin with a thoughtful gaze. Lin looked up, meeting her gaze very abruptly. She stayed quiet for a moment before she spoke.

“You’ve always been very pretty. I don’t know if I ever told you before, but I always thought it,” Kya’s eyes widened from surprise. Surprised that Lin thought she was pretty, and also because she had said it so bluntly. Kya seemed dumbfounded, not sure what to say till Lin smiled a pure childlike smile and laughed. 

“You ok there? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that look before,” she held up her hand and seemed to circle Kya’s face with a groggy laugh. Kya collected herself and furrowed her brow with a smirk, playfully kicking Lin from her side of the couch. 

“You just aren’t the type to complement people! You caught me off guard is all, but I’m flattered,” Kya rolled her eyes as she poured herself one more glass. 

“I managed to catch you off guard with a compliment? That’s a first!” Lin snorted as she laughed. 

“Yeah but it’s never happening again,” Kya got comfortable again, adjusting herself in her spot. Lin had a look on her face that seemed like she was taking Kya up on that challenge. She stayed quiet, putting her nearly empty glass down on the table in front of her.

“What if I said I wanted to kiss you right now? What would you do?” she asked with a smirk. She shifted closer to Kya, who wasn’t paying attention as she rolled her eyes and laughed, thinking it was only a joke. The question did cause a flutter in her chest. 

“I’d say you had too much to drink,” when she turned to say something else, she noticed how much closer Lin seemed to have gotten and her joking smile faded into one of surprise and some confusion. Lin’s gaze seemed to be focused on some other part of Kya’s face, rather than her eyes, causing the Waterbender to clear her throat and quickly blink to remain calm. 

“What if I said I was serious?” The Earthbender's voice was low but soft as she spoke through parted lips. Her eyes darted up and locked with Kya’s for a moment before the Waterbender felt a soft hand caress her cheek as it pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. Her heartbeat faster now and the blood pumped loudly in her ears, causing them to turn a bright red color.

She wasn’t sure what to do or say, let alone how she should feel. Part of her wanted to kiss her, like really kiss her, but the other part told her that she shouldn’t. Lin wasn’t thinking clearly and was just joking with her, that was all. She had that drunk rose color in her cheeks to prove it. 

“I would say that you’ve obviously had a little too much wine and you aren’t thinking straight,” Kya’s voice trembled slightly as she tried to remain calm and think rationally. Lin was drunk and part of her missed Tenzin. Tenzin was Kya’s brother. That was all this was, right? Or she was just joking. Kya’s thoughts seemed to race and blur together.

Kya slipped away from Lin, who’s hand trailed after her cheek which she had still been holding. She placed her half-finished glass on the coffee table as she hurriedly stood up, almost tripping on the rug. Lin clearly seemed confused and tried her best to follow her. 

“Who said anything about straight?” Lin laughed at her own bad joke as she followed Kya, who was hurrying around the apartment to find any of her things that she might leave behind. Kya frantically tried to hide the redness in her face as she pulled her shoes back on and made her way to the door. 

“Well, it was a fun evening but I need to get up early and help mom so see you later!” she yelled her very rushed goodbye over her shoulder, trying to leave before anything could happen. Lin didn't seem to process the abrupt change in Kya’s deminer quick enough and it only clicked that something was wrong when Kya was already at the door.

Her hand kept missing the apartment door’s handle so Lin had time to catch her. When Lin caught up she seemed confused and worried. She managed to reach out and grab Kya’s hand to stop her, which only made Kya’s heartbeat race even faster.

“Kya, slow down, did I say something wrong -” Kya shook her head quickly with a forced smile. 

“No no no! It’s all good! I just -” she had to think of an excuse “I just forgot I was helping mom all day and misjudged the time. It’s fine, really,” she tried to have a reassuring look on her face but Lin seemed apprehensive. She frowned but nodded.

“Alright, if you're sure. I had fun though,” she murmured, worry filling her green gaze. Kya simply nodded, pulling her hand away as she practically ran out the door. Lin then stood alone, confused as to what had just happened. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kya couldn’t stop the tears that formed in her eyes as she ran back to the docks where she had left her boat. Her thoughts were a tornado of confusion and she couldn’t focus on just one thing at a time. 

She had known about her feelings for Lin for so long and at that moment when Lin asked to kiss her she had wanted to say yes She wanted to kiss her so bad, but she knew she couldn’t. Not when Lin was clearly drunk and not fully thinking. She didn’t want to kiss Lin and have her regret it later. That wasn’t fair to either of them. 

She had a small part of her wondering if Lin really did want to kiss her. Maybe she just couldn’t say it before and that was her way of confessing. When that little light of hope showed up, Kya quickly snuffed it out. 

Lin didn’t really like her that way. Kya was her ex-boyfriend’s sister. She probably just saw Tenzin in her. That’s how she rationalized it anyways. Whatever Kya had been looking for in Lin wasn’t real and she was convinced it wouldn’t happen. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was late when Kya returned home. Everyone was asleep, so no one had seen her puffy eyes and nose as she went to bed. When she closed the door to her room, she stood slouched against it for a moment, eyes slowly scanning the darkness before noticing the passport on her dresser. 

Without much thinking, she made a decision. Maybe it was time for her to see the world as she had always talked about. She couldn’t stay in republic city forever, right? What had been keeping her here now anyways? Tears began to form again when Lin’s name came to mind.

She would leave in the morning. Tell her family goodbye quickly so they didn’t ask too many questions, then be gone for who knows how long...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lin is and always will be a lightweight, talkative/blunt, jokester, drunk in my mind! She overthinks almost everything in daily life but once she gets a little tipsy she just forgets to second guess herself and says pretty much whatever she thinks.
> 
> Anyways, I couldn’t just hand over the KyaLin so easily. The girls need time and some drama! But I have some good stuff planned so don’t worry! 
> 
> I had someone mention in chapter 3 that they wished Kya to have said more about female beauty standards during her conversation with Lin, and while that was never really a theme I had planned, I thought it was an interesting addition to the story.
> 
> I really relate to Kya for many different reasons and consider her a comfort character/kin of mine, so when I have drawn her or imagen her when writing, she always has a rounder, curvier figure, similar to my own. I've noticed that I do this with a lot of my kin's and comfort characters and I think it's my way of projecting. But within the show, Kya has a fuller, more natural body shape compared to a lot of other female cartoon characters. 
> 
> (I think LOK did a pretty good job of creating some diverse body shapes within the show though between all of its characters)
> 
> But because of the similarities I see between myself and Kya, I felt like I could use some of my own experiences as a rounder girl to talk about female beauty in our world and what it could be like in the ATLA/LOK universe. 
> 
> This was also just a nice way for me to feel more body positive about myself. I found that writing a character that can talk about their own body in a positive light helped me feel a little better about my own, so I highly recommend if you are struggling with that feeling yourself.


	6. Saltwater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin wakes up after the evening with Kya, only now realizing what she had said the night before. In a panic, she goes to Airtemple Island in hopes of clearing things up with the Waterbender, but is Lin sure why she asked to kiss Kya in the first place?

Lin woke with one of the worst headaches she had in a long time. Her 5:30 alarm wasn’t helping either. She stayed in bed for an extra ten minutes, which was unthinkable for her normally. She rubbed her temple and groaned, almost giving in to the desire to skip the day entirely, but she eventually made her way to the bathroom. She rubbed at the drunk sleep in her eyes, leaning against the sink for them needed support. 

“Damn, I look like shit,” she hissed to herself, clenching her jaw as she pulled at the bags under her eyes. Her mouth tasted bitter from her deep sleep and her chopped black hair was a complete mess. After inspecting her appearance for a moment longer, she got in the shower, letting the warm water loosen her tense muscles and soothe the pounding headache. She felt slightly nauseous, but the shower seemed to help with that.

She finished up and starting to feel better, but she wasn’t going to have her pristine, spotless appearance today. She was running late already and didn’t want to put too much effort into her looks anyway. She simply fixed her hair the best she could and got dressed in her uniform before going to make coffee. 

Passing her living room she noticed the abandoned wine glasses and bottle that had been left out the night before. She picked up the bottle and inspected it, breathing in the dry alcoholic sent. It only had about a glass full left, and Kya hadn’t had very much if she recalled correctly. She confirmed it as the source of her headache and blurry memory. 

She groaned, frustrated that she had allowed herself to get drunk, in front of Kya no less. She’d be hearing about that later. She always forgot how bad she was at handling her alcohol and the night before she drank continuously knowing she had an early shift the next day. 

She took that bottle and glasses into her kitchen, disposing of the last glass that sat in the bottle into her sink then recycling the bottle. She pondered what to do about the glasses since they were Kya’s. She decided to keep them and give them back the next time she saw the Waterbender.

She moved on to making her coffee, but her mind wandered to the night before as it brewed. Leaning against her kitchen counter in a blurry daze, she remembered cooking, then eating, but things got fuzzy after that. 

She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose, clenching her jaw as she thought, which seemed to help. She was shaken out of her thoughts when her coffee finished brewing. She poured the black steeming brew into a travel mug, along with some milk and sugar, not having the time to sit down and enjoy it since she had been moving slowly all morning. 

Her mind still pondered about the night before, remembering now how frantically Kya had left. She stopped as she locked her door, trying to recall what had shaken her so much. Kya had never been the type to express any kind of anxiety and she was always up for lighthearted teasing, so something really must have shaken her. 

Confused guilt bubbled in her stomach as she made her way out of the apartment building and to the station. What happened the night before? Had Lin done something that she couldn’t recall? The day was nice and the station wasn’t far from home, so she walked. 

She didn’t pay much attention to the bustling city around her, her mind wandering to try and connect the blurry dots of her drunk memory. Bits of conversation gradually started to come back as she sipped her coffee. 

As she walked the few blocks to the station, she recalled talking about Tenzin, then something about boys in school as she pushed into work. She was drawn from her daze as fellow officers called to her, telling her good morning. She gave them a halfhearted smile and nod. 

As she approached her desk spotted her mother, who was passing out files for the day. The Cheif turned and nodded in Lin’s general direction when she felt the officer nearing.

“Damn, you doing ok? You don’t have that normal ‘Lin step’ in you,” her mother said, wrinkling her nose in a laugh as Lin rolled her eyes and sighed, putting down her coffee. At this moment part of her was glad her mother was blind. She wasn’t able to comment on her daughter’s obvious visual hangover, but knowing Toph she would figure it out sooner rather than later.

“Seems like you had a fun night then, I can recognize a good hangover,” Toph scoffed, leaning against her daughter’s desk. Lin shot her a waisted look and grumbled something under her breath as she sorted through her files for the day. 

“Anything new with that hit and run robbery from the other day?” she asked, not looking up as she avoided the previous conversation. Toph rolled her eyes and picked at her nails as she thought it over.

“There was a call the other day that we thought was related, but we couldn’t link the two together just yet. After some digging, there was a family connection between the victims. Cousins on their mother’s side…” As Toph filled Lin in on the case she nodded, but her daughter’s mind began to wander. Her eyes were locked on the file, but her vision and the sound around her blurred as she zoned out. 

She reached for her coffee to take another sip when her memory cleared. When she remembered, the realization hit her like a train at full speed. Her eyes widened from shock at the memory and she choked on the sip of her coffee, throwing herself into a coughing fit. The files were sent flying out of her grasp and scattered across the floor. Lin had to grip her desk to steady herself. 

‘What if I said I wanted to kiss you right now? What would you do?’ That’s what she had asked Kya the night before. That’s why Kya had left in such a rush. That’s what she had drunkenly said without even a second thought. The words she had let slip wheeled around in her brain as she gasped for breath, eventually stopping when she felt a hard slap on her back. 

“What the hell was that about? You nearly killed yourself and me!” her mother scolded, guiding Lin upwards and out of her sinking position. Lin coughed once more and cleared her throat, hot embarrassment from her realization and all the prying eyes caused a bright red color to rush into her cheeks. 

“Um, wrong pipe. Coffee went down the wrong pipe,” she cleared her throat, her voice somewhat horse. She awkwardly collected her files as her mother grumbled to herself. The other officers around them watched for a moment more before the sound of office shuffling began again 

“Anyways, back to what I was trying to tell you before all of that…” her mother continued with a sour undertone to her voice with a twirling hand gesture in Lin’s direction.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin had taken an early lunch break, yet she had no intention of eating anything. Her stomach kept rolling around itself, knotting up in all different ways. She had caught the first ferry she could to Airtemple island, intending to try and explain herself to Kya. The only issue with this plan was that she had no idea what she should say. 

She hadn’t been able to focus on any of her work all morning, instead, she fidgeted, unable to keep still as she thoughts whirled. The foggy memory had kept replaying in her head over and over no matter how she tried to distract herself. She was on edge and stressed, so maybe explaining herself would fix whatever was going on. 

She stood on the boat, holding onto the railing as she rhythmically tapped her index finger. She was completely embarrassed about what she had said, but she couldn’t understand why. She asked to kiss Kya. She couldn’t cautiously remember having that desire before. She had always thought that the Waterbender was very attractive, but that was just her admiring Kya as another woman, right? 

Had she been misinterpreting her thoughts about Kya this whole time? Did a part of Lin like Kya as more than a childhood friend? And was it just Kya, or had she ever seen other women this way? She groaned in frustration, not understanding all of these new thoughts she was having all at once. 

The idea of being attracted to women had never crossed her mind before. She had never really been attracted to people. Sure there was Tenzin, but she had been young and thought she was supposed to like him back, and eventually she thought that she did. 

Lin rubbed the bridge of her nose with her forefingers, dividing to think about her identity crisis later. For now, she needed to figure out what she was going to say when she saw Kya. Before she had time, however, the ferry docked and she had to step onto the dry land of Airtemple Island. 

Lin hurried to the family home, wanting to avoid as many people as she could. She just wanted to find Kya and clear some of this up. Kya had always been her confidant, the person she talked to. She couldn’t lose that because of something stupid she had said. 

She reached Kya’s room without anyone intervening and with a small deep breath she knocked, but no one answered. She felt the anxiety crawling under her skin and knocked again, slightly more urgently this time. When she received nothing again, she slid open the door a poked her head inside. 

“Kya? Its Lin, I need to talk to you -” she stopped when she noticed the state of the room. It was dark and felt so much more empty than usual. The walls were still plastered with pictures, postcards, and old letters, although somewhere missing. Similarly, Kya’s trinkets were left the same way. The room had been hers, but it felt less “lived in.” 

The Earthbender stepped inside, her green gaze wandering around the room. They were filled with anxiety and confusion as she tried to understand what was going on. Something didn’t feel right here. The room didn’t feel like Kya.

“Are you looking for Kya? You just missed her by a few hours,” Lin nearly jumped out of her skin, whirling around with a shaken expression. She was met with Katara rather than Kya, who was worried herself now.

“Oh, I’m sorry dear, I thought you heard me,” The Waterbender strode into the room as Lin took a deep breath and relaxed. “What are you doing here, if you don’t mind me asking,” Lin shook her head and her eyes darted away. She tugged at her collar. It felt tight around her neck. 

“I was trying to find Kya. I wanted to tell her something,” Her voice seemed to tremor and she couldn’t look Katara in the eyes, fearing that she would see right through Lin and know what had happened. But the Waterbenders gaze never faltered. Her blue eyes were soft, but they seemed sad and glossy. 

“I’m sorry honey. She left a while ago. I thought she had told you?” she said, her voice was the same as when Lin was a child. The Earthbenders heart seemed to stop when she heard the word ‘left.’ Her avoiding gaze snapped to Katara almost immediately. 

“What? She left? But, where did she go?” she asked. New feelings swirled around her stomach, making her feel sick. She faltered slightly but managed to keep herself together. “She didn’t tell me anything…” she murmured. Katara sniffed slightly and sighed. It was clear now that the Waterbender had been crying before. 

“She left in a rush and wasn’t very clear about what she was doing, but she's an adult, so there's no stopping her.” Katara rubbed her temple as she spoke. She seemed tired. Lin could only stare at the Waterbender, still shocked by the news. 

“She said she was going to start traveling. She was already packed and nearly on the boat by the time everyone said goodbye. It had been a shorter goodbye than when Bumi left for the United forces. She really didn’t tell you anything?” Katara asked. From the tone in her voice, it sounded like she wanted some kind of reassurance. She was a mother worrying about her child. All Lin could do was shake her head. 

“No, she didn’t mention anything. We had a nice evening,” She didn’t sound confident in her answer and the was sure Katara could see through her lie, but what was she supposed to say instead? Not the truth that was for sure. Not till Lin understood her motivation anyway. Katara gave Lin a tired smile and patted her shoulder. 

“Do you need anything? I can make you something to eat if you’d like?” SHe asked in that mothering tone, one that she had only heard from Toph in her early years. The Earthbender shook her head. 

“No, I ate already” which was a lie “and they need me back at the station soon anyways,” she shrugged and forced a small smile. Katara returned her gaze and nodded with a drawn-out sigh. She cupped Lin’s scared cheek in her hand and kissed her forehead before pulling away. 

“Well, if you ever need anything, you know your welcome here Lin,” She smiled and left the room. The two exchanged one more wave goodbye before Lin was left standing alone in Kya’s room. Her old room anyways. 

Mixed emotions tumbled and fought in her stomach and she didn’t know what she should be feeling. Angry that Kya had left without any warning? Guilty that she hadn’t been able to explain herself? But the smallest part of her wondered if she was supposed to feel heartbroken again. It was overwhelming and she moved to leave but she couldn’t, not yet. 

After some rummaging, she found a sheet of paper and a pen. She wrote down everything that came to her head, just to get it out in the open in hopes that Kya would someday find it. She finished the letter, signing it and writing the date, before folding it up and leaving it on Kya’s now abandoned vanity. She moved to leave again but stopped and stared at her letter from the doorway. 

She had no idea if Kya would ever come home, or if she'd ever read the letter, but it was her best shot. Her feelings started to settle now and she relaxed, but that bit of heartbreak seemed to cause another crack. She closed her eyes, gripping the doorframe for a moment before she left with a shaky breath. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the day hadn’t been a good one. Lin was out of it, clearly distracted by her wheeling thoughts. She brought her paperwork home but had little intention to actually do it, and it was about now that she wished she kept the rest of that wine. She bent off her armor and put it into her room. She wanted to go right to bed, but she still hadn’t eaten and despite not really wanting to she reheated the leftovers from the night before. 

When she finished, she put her dishes on the counter to clean later. She collapsed in her bed, staring up at the dark ceiling as her thoughts kept spinning. She was so drained from all the new realizations and things to think over. The only light that crept into the room came from the bathroom down the hall and the city outside her window. Everything within her apartment was quiet. 

As she tried to drift into sleep, her mind wandered to Kya, but not in the way she normally thought of her. At that moment, alone in her apartment, Lin realized how beautiful Kya was. She always had such bright eyes that Lin could get lost in, and a laugh that never failed to make Lin smile. She recalled the way that Kya’s nose wrinkled when she smiled, and the light dusting of freckles that she had. 

The Earthbender could feel her cheeks grow warm. She rolled over, grasping her pillow as her mind continued to wander. She remembered looking Kya up and down, realizing how beautiful her curves where, and how soft her skin must be. Lin wondered what it would be like to actually be with her. The idea seemed far fetched and unreal, but as she thought it over it became more of a desire rather than just an idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a short little sad chapter for today. I hate making these girls sad, but I also LIVE for the romance drama. I have up to chapter 10 planed and I have a few extra fluff chapters planned, but I’m still working on some richer plot so there could be a lull between uploads so that I can work on that.
> 
> Also, reading back I realized that I didn’t clarify a point in Tenzin and Lin’s breakup. Tenzin never full-on cheated on Lin. They had been growing apart, and Tenzin started to spend time with Pema because they where friends. Pema admitted her feelings and after some thought, Tenzin realized that part of him liked her too and that things with Lin weren’t going to work out. One of them would always be miserable. 
> 
> Lin said that he cheated because she was angry, but he never did in actuality. He was pretty blunt and bad at explaining the situation though, so that’s why people were upset with how he handled the breakup.


	7. Honey and Ginger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last time Lin and Kya saw each other was nearly 4 years ago. Kya had gone off and traveled the world, leaving Lin in Republic city to think about things and discover herself more. Unannounced to Lin, Kya happens to in town after all of that time for Tenzin and Pema’s wedding…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //CW:Some mention of sexual relationships/encounters// 
> 
> This is yet another time skip! Here are soma ages for reference; Pema is 22, Lin and Tenzin are both 24, and Kya is 26.

Lin had settled in for the day, planning to spend her time off working on paperwork. It didn’t sound like much fun, of course, but it was the kind of distraction she needed at the moment. She had papers spread out at her dining room table with relaxing music playing in the background on the radio. It was periodically interrupted by news updates. 

The Earthbender wore a green cardigan over a tank top with comfortable pants and drank a coffee as she worked. It had been a chilly morning, chillier than expected for summer, and as the day went on, it had started to drizzle outside, cooling down the city streets. 

The clouds had grown gradually, and the drizzle was now steady rainfall. She struggled to focus on her work, getting distracted by distant thoughts as she tried to ignore the extravagant envelope she had received a few months ago that was now sitting in her mail pile. 

Her eyes eventually began to wander, locking onto the opened envelope. She furrowed her brow and grumbled something before trying to ignore it again. It had been an invitation, a wedding invitation to be exact. Tenzin and Pema had finally decided to tye the knot after 3 years of dating, and they scheduled their “special day” for that weekend.

Lin hadn’t been sure why, but she didn’t get any assignments for the weekend, being told to “enjoy some time off.” She had tried to protest, but it was something she wasn’t allowed to debate. Part of her thought it was because of the wedding as an Airbender wedding was something that seemed to disrupt the day to day of the whole city, but rather than going, she was staying home. It would be too weird, after all, being at her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, right?

Sure, she had been invited as a family friend, but why would she want to mingle with people at a party and watch her ex get married? It wasn’t like she and Tenzin were still on bad terms, though. They had both grown up and moved on in their serpent ways and got what they had wanted, but attending the wedding still wasn’t an appealing offer. 

Still, a small part of her wanted to go for other reasons. Kya had left home nearly two and a half years ago, and the two women had no contact whatsoever since. Lin had no clue what Kya was doing or where she was, but she was always in the back of Lin’s mind. She wondered if the Waterbender would even show up at all.

The Earthbender had made an interesting realization about herself shortly after Kya had left, recognizing that she had an attraction to women over men. She had spent some time exploring this side of herself, realizing that a female partner was a more “satisfying” experience. Despite this, she still spent most of her time on her own. 

Work had been busy since her promotion from officer to detective a few months ago. The job paid a little better than before, but it still came with its challenges. For one, she had to deal with more people when she worked with them on their cases. She also spent quite a few nights connecting the dots between cases, with little sleep to get them solved and done.

But now she had the next few days off to catch up on both work and sleep. After rereading the same sentence for the third time, she rubbed her eyes and got up, going to get leftovers to reheat for a late lunch. She stopped for a moment, watching the rain fall outside her balcony windows. She never mentioned it to anyone really, but she had always enjoyed cold, rainy days like this. 

She eventually turned, heading to the kitchen to eat when she was interrupted by a knock at her door. She stopped, eyes locked on the door as though someone was going to burst through without warning. There was maybe a minute before the knocking started again. The Earthbender blinked, not expecting any kind of company today. She walked across her apartment and slowly opened the door, eyes widening in shock. 

Kya stood in front of her, not yet realizing that Lin had opened the door. She was bending the rain out of her hair and clothing, muttering to herself as a large water bubble formed above her. She wore a blue underdress and skirt with a second darker blue layer on top. Her long, brunet hair was done up in her usual ponytail, with some bits left out to help frame her face.

Once Lin had completely opened the door, Kya noticed she was being watched and in a surprising panic, lost focus and dropped the bubble. Water came crashing down on her head, causing her to yelp in surprise. 

“Shit! That’s so much colder than I was expecting!” she hissed, before looking up at Lin with an embarrassed expression. “Can you maybe give me a minute?” Lin would only stair, dumbfounded by what was in front of her. She had too many feelings to process all at once and she wasn’t sure what she should say. Kya eventually bent the water again and held it in a bubble between her hands. 

“So, could we talk?” she asked, gesturing to ask if she could come in. Lin clenched her jaw tightly shut, moving so Kya could enter the apartment. The Waterbender gave her a small, slightly anxious smile and nodded, carrying the bubble of water into the kitchen and letting it go down the sink drain. When she turned around she was surprised by the look Lin gave her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lin beat her to it. 

“I have some coffee if you want to warm up,” Kya nodded, her hands fidgeting as she avoided Lin’s gaze.

“Yeah, that would be great,” she murmured. Lin nodded, getting another mug and pouring it. The Waterbender took it eagerly, taking a long sip. Her shoulders raised as the warmth ran through her chilled skin. The two women stood silently on opposite sides of the kitchen, both leaning against countertops, as they watched each other, daring the other to make the first move. 

Kya finished about half of her coffee before putting her mug down with a drawn-out sigh. She seemed different, that was for sure. It had been so long since they had seen each other, so long that they almost felt like strangers. They both seemed to dance away from the other’s gaze, avoiding the growing elephant koi in the room.

“I need to explain myself, don’t I?” her gaze was soft, but it seemed to hide a newfound sadness that rubbed Lin the wrong way. An obvious tension filled the kitchen around them. Lin watched from the side as Kya fidgeted with her fingers, rubbing her thumb along the knuckles of her other hand as she seemed to process what she was going to say. 

“Lin, I’m so sorry I -” she pressed, her voice sounded like it was going to shatter before she was stopped by Lin looking up at her, shaking her head. 

“Stop it, Kya. We both know what happened.” She kept her tone as gentle as she could. “You don’t need to apologize,” The Earthbenders stance was solid as she leaned against the kitchen counter. As she was looking out the kitchen window to avoid Kya’s gaze, she noticed that the rain had slowed down again to drizzle.

“I was drunk, I shouldn’t have been, and I’m sorry. I remember what I said, and I know that drove you away,” she murmured the last part. She grasped the counter behind her to steady her trembling palms. She didn’t realize that Kya had crossed the kitchen. The Waterbender now stood next to her and gently entwined their fingers. 

“That’s not why I left…” Her voice was soft but sweet, like that last sip of tea that is overpowered by too much honey. Lin’s breath hitched in the back of her throat, and she stiffened for a moment. Kya ran her thumb gently over Lin’s, sending a light shiver up the Earthbender’s spine.

“I got scared, and I didn’t know how to handle it, so I ran away to avoid my problem. Guess that runs in the family, huh?” It was her attempt at making a bad joke, referring to her father. Her heart didn’t seem in it.

“It wasn’t your fault,” she murmured, leaning her cheek against Lin’s shoulder. She gently wrapped her other arm around Lin’s arm, enjoying the warmth of her green cardigan against her cheek. Lin’s face seemed to flush every time Kya’s skin brushed against her. Her heart raced, but she held it together, eventually looking down at the Waterbender on her shoulder. 

“What were you scared of?” she asked, gazing down at Kya, who hadn’t moved from her spot against Lin. She noticed how soft Kya’s hair was as it tickled her neck. Part of her wanted to pull the Waterbender in close and run her fingers through her dark hair, but she pushed back the desire to listen.

“I was scared that you were being honest. Scared that one thing would lead to another -” Lin interrupted, her voice shaken with her own worry.

“Kya, did you think I was going to pressure you into something?” She appeared hurt and slightly offended that Kya may have thought so little of her. Kya’s lifted her head sharply, her eyes wide with sudden stress as she frantically shook her head.

“Lin, no! That’s not what I meant!" startled fear filled her gaze as her grip on Lin's arm tightened. "I’ve never felt like I was in any danger with you,” she assured Lin, squeezing their entwined hands. She met the Earthbenders gaze, her blue eyes seemed filled with feelings she wasn't fully expressing.

“I was worried that something would happen between us and you would regret it later. I didn’t want to take advantage of you when you weren’t thinking clearly,” she dropped her gaze again “I didn’t want to be a mistake,” she murmured again. She pressed her face into Lin’s shoulder gain, as though she was trying to hide from Lin. 

Lin turned, gently lifting Kya’s chin with her hand. Her heart was racing as she fell into the Waterbender’s ocean gaze. She felt like she could swim in Kya’s eyes forever, till she noticed the way her lips had begun to tremble. Lin gently moved her hand from Kya’s chin to her cheek and she felt Kya fall into her hand. She felt thin fingers wrap itself around the hand holding Kya’s cheek. The Waterbender closed her eyes, her bow furrowed as she held back any feeling.

She watched as Kya’s tight expression loosened and her lips parted in a shaky breath, letting go of the brewing emotion in her chest. Lin seemed frozen, unsure of what she should do. She felt Kya fall into her embrace, resting her face in the crook of Lin’s neck as silent tears began to fall. Lin heald her and she softly whimpered as the brunette’s hands desperately clawing at the cardigan for support. 

Lin murmured sweet words in an attempt to help her feel comfortable. She rested her chin next to Kya’s temple, one hand respectively around her waist and the other gently running through Kya’s long brown hair. She felt the way Kya’s chest tighten as she gasped for air, and the tears wet her shoulder, but she didn’t seem to mind. The two women stayed where they were in the kitchen, slowly swaying like slow dancers till Kya managed to collect herself. 

She loosened her grip and let go of Lin’s cardigan, her hands placed firmly on the Earthbenders shoulder now. Lin still heald onto Kya’s waist, her other hand gently tucking hair away from Kya’s forehead. She gave the Waterbender a small nod, wordlessly asking if she was ok. Kya sniffed, running a hand under her nose, and nodded, her eyes still puffy from tears. 

“Yeah, I’m ok. I’ve been holding onto that for a while now,” she gave Lin a weak smile and laughed gently. Her laugh was soft and smooth, not like her usual loud laugh. Lin felt her cheeks glow slightly and she smiled herself with a small nod.

“I really missed you.” she murmured, feeling Kya arms shift from their placement on her shoulders. They now found their place gently wrapped around Lin’s neck, and she felt Kya’s fingertips gently play with her short hair. Lin slowly drew her hand slightly more around Kya’s waist, bringing her maybe half an inch closer. 

The Earthbender could see herself trembling with anxiety, but she focused on the way the corners of Kya’s mouth curled in their small smile. She wanted to take in every detail of the other woman’s face so that she’d never forget it. She wanted to count every freckle that dotted her nose so that she would have an exact number. She wanted to kiss her on the freckle beside her eye and memorize the way her laugh lines curved when she smiled.

“If the offer is still on the table, I’d like to kiss you….” Kya said softly, almost in a whisper. She didn’t look Lin in the eyes when she said it. Her gaze seemed fixated on the Earthbenders parted lips. She looked up, meeting Lin’s anxious green gaze with a small smirk, her fingertips still delicately played with Lin’s hair. 

The Earthbender opened her mouth to try and respond, but she couldn’t seem to formulate words, so instead, she quickly clenched her jaw and nodded. She couldn’t ever remember being this anxious about being close to someone, but her heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest. 

Kya smiled and laughed again. That soft smooth laugh. Lin wasn’t exactly ready when Kya kissed her, and for a moment she thought it was a dream, but she closed her eyes and began to melt into it. The Waterbender’s lips were soft against her own. She tasted like honey and ginger and Lin could feel the way she smiled throughout the kiss. She felt fingertips gently clutch her hair and her grip on Kya’s waist grew desperate as it drew her closer leaving almost no space between them. 

When Kya pulled away, it took Lin a second to recover, her eyes still shut as she felt soft breath on her face and gentle hands tuck loose strands of black hair behind her ear’s. Her green eyes fluttered open, sparkling with amazement as they were met with Kya’s blue gaze. She felt warm hands slide down from behind her ears, landing on either of her cheeks. They cupped her face with a touch that was so light she wondered if it was all real. 

“Wow…” was all she could say. Kya grinned and nodded, running her left thumb over the curve of Lin’s scared cheekbone. The Earthbender leaned into her soft touch, her heartbeat starting to slow to a normal pace. They stood still in the kitchen, just the two of them swaying from side to side. The drizzling rain outside subsided, leaving behind the smell of wet summer concrete. 

“Wanna go get something to eat?” she murmured, still stroking Lin’s cheek as she smiled. 

“I noticed a new cafe on my way here,” Lin only gazed into her eyes, not wanting the moment to end. Eventually, she nodded and Kya gave her an excited smile. She quickly pressed a kiss to the bridge of Lin’s nose, right between her eyes, and pulled away from the embrace, but she clasped Lin’s hand in a teasing manner before heading to the door.

“Go get some shoes then! It looked like they had some of those fruit tarts that you liked when we were kids.” 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The two women had finished their small meal and now sat across from each other, waiting for the bill in a small cafe. It wasn’t anything too special, but it was small and quiet with only a few people at the surrounding tables. They had spent their time talking about their lives in the past two years. It was mostly Kya talking about her travels while Lin contently listened. 

“I meant to ask, but it slipped my mind, why did you come to my apartment?” Kya had been taking the last sip of her coffee when Lin asked her unprompted question. 

“I found your note,” she said simply, putting her mug down so that she could dig through her pockets. Lin made a confused expression as she tried to recall what Kya was talking about. She couldn’t remember anything about a note, so she was surprised when Kya presented one to her. 

“My room was pretty much exactly how I left it, but I found this on my vanity. Do you not remember writing it?” she seemed puzzled as she unfolded the letter and slid it across the table. Lin shook her head, gingerly taking the letter. She read it in silence before a small smile grew on her lips.

“How did you even read this? It looks like chicken pig scratch,” she seemed to laugh in the back of her throat, shaking her head. Kya’s confused expression relaxed as she took back the letter.

“What? No, I love your handwriting. It’s so pretty,” she smiled. Lin gradually stopped laughing and smiled, her gaze shying away at the complement. “I always wanted to write like you. You’re letters always so effortlessly connected. I could never figure it out,” she murmured, folding the letter back into her pocket. 

“But I read it and I knew I had to see you and explain myself,” she reached across the table and gently touched Lin’s fingers, not taking them into her grasp. Lin felt a shiver go up through her spine at her light touch and she couldn’t help herself. She gently entwined their fingers on the table and watched how Kya grinned as the color deepened in Lin’s complexion.

“I’m glad you did,” was all Lin could say as she once again got lost in Kya’s bright blue gaze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The girls are back together! Going forward, we are really going to explore their relationship, so there isn't as much waiting! This story gradually became more drawn out than I had originally intended, but I just kept having new ideas to explore. 
> 
> I wanted to touch upon what I am identifying Lin's sexuality as, since I don't think it's super obvious in the way I wrote it. I feel like Lin is a lesbian, just with Tenzin as an exception. I think she loved him, but more of as a "First love" situation. I had a real crush on a boy at one point before I realized I was gay, but now I have zero attraction to men whatsoever. 
> 
> But that being said, I think I've written Lin as Demiromantic without originally intending to. In this story, she experimented a bit with other women and enjoyed that time but she never had a long-lasting, official Girlfriend because that was just a step she wasn't ready for. She's always been a closed-off character that struggles with feelings, so to me, it makes sense that she would want to form a trusted bond with someone before things got romantic. 
> 
> All that being said, I won't be using the terms Lesbian, demi, or other sexual orientation terms in the story to describe characters because I don't think that those terms fit into the world of Avatar. I feel like people just say "I'm attracted to this gender" rather than "I am this sexuality" within the Avatar world. 
> 
> But that’s not me saying not to use these terms in your own life! I identify as a lesbian myself IRL, I just don’t think that’s how sexual identity works within Avatar.


	8. I Hear Wedding Bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya manages to convince Lin to attend Tenzin and Pema’s wedding, promising to stay by her side the whole evening to avoid any unwanted attention. Lin is still apprehensive about it, but Kya seems to be the nudge she needs to get out of her comfort zone...

Kya still wasn’t sure how she had done it, but she had managed to convince Lin to attend Tenzin’s wedding with her as a plus one. She had of course be apprehensive and tried to make excuses not to attend, but eventually, Kya had worn her down. It had been a lovely ceremony, and Kya was so proud of her little brother, but throughout the whole thing, she couldn’t help but sneak long glances at the Earthbender to her side. 

She had to admit, part of her expected Lin to show up dressed in her work uniform, but she was pleasantly surprised when she came dressed in something more formal. Lin wore a knee-length green dress that was rather simple, but it managed to highlight Lin’s built figure in a rather feminine way that wasn’t normally shown. 

The dress had a gold thread pattern that was easily missed from a distance, but it made detailed ivory vines all around the dress. In addition, her hair was done in a nice twisted bun with a few light bangs left out to frame her face. 

Kya had picked out a blue dress she had gotten during her travels. It was a little tighter around her chest and waist than her mother probably would have liked, but it loosened into wave-like ruffles that twisted and pooled around her legs. She had let her hair down in brown waves that cascaded down her shoulders and back, with a small detailed bun in the back that kept her shorter bangs out of her face.

Now, after the ceremony, the two women stood on the edge of the crowd, watching Tenzin and Pema as they had their first dance as a married couple. The courtyard of Airtemple Island had been converted into something like a ballroom, with a dance floor and seating arrangements set underneath a large canopy tent. Food had been set out to the side and a band played in a corner of the tent.

People milled around the tent, congratulating the new couple and catching up with one another. As Kya scanned the crowd from a distance, she spotted her parents talking with some politicians while her brother Bumi told some grand tale about his time away at the United Forces to a crowd of their old school friends.

Kya had milled around herself for a while with Lin trailing after her, but not saying much. Kya couldn’t help but smile, finding it rather sweet. She turned to ask Lin something, but she was interrupted by her father’s call. 

“How are my two favorite young ladies doing tonight?” he asked, as he walked over, Katara also joining them as she linked arms with her husband. Kya noticed the way they stood together and slipped her own arm around Lin’s in the same way, causing the Earthbender to flinch and give her a quick, scornful look of embarrassment and annoyance. Kya could only grin, as she was very pleased with herself. 

“We’re both fine dad. We’ve just been talking with all the guests. Feels like the whole city’s here, doesn’t it,” she turned to Lin as though she was trying to get the Earthbender involved in the conversation. She had been trying to remain calm and cleared her throat before speaking. 

“Yeah, there are lots of people here,” Lin replied, her gaze darting around as though she was patrolling for any threatening faces. Aang seemed to notice but smiled anyway. 

“Relax detective. We have great security provided by your mother, so take the night off and have fun,” he joked, patting Lin on the shoulder. She gave him an awkwardly forced smile in return. 

“Congrats on that new title by the way. I’ve heard that you’re really making a name for yourself,” Katara piped up. Lin seemed surprised but shyly smiled. 

“Thank you. I try my best,” she said simply. Kya parted her lips to say something but was interrupted by someone calling for her father. He turned and dramatically groaned, getting a slight jab from Katara. 

“Well, it was nice seeing you both. Hopefully, we can catch up more another time,” he called as Katara dragged him away to whoever had called for them. Kya smiled, her arm still linked with Lin’s as she gently batt the Earthbenders bicep with her other hand. 

“You didn’t tell me anything about a promotion the other day,” she teased in a fake hurt tone. Lin exhaled loudly and rolled her eyes. 

“It must have slipped my mind,” she mumbled. Kya noticed how tense Lin seemed to be in the middle of the crowd, so she shifted her arm, grabbing hold of Lin’s hand instead of her arm. She practically dragged the Earthbender out of the crowd and to the buffet table. After some scavenging, the two escaped the party with a plate full of assorted snacks and pastries, along with a few glasses of champagne. 

They settled in a spot just outside of the tent with their food, which was practically gone already. They watched as more people began to dance and somehow Bumi had managed to get a circle of people around him as he did some strange dance that their father had taught the Firenation years before. 

Kya laughed as she watched the crowd, resting her cheek on Lin’s shoulder. She breathed in the Earthbenders sent, which was a mix of metallic from her uniform and a slight hint of something floral in her hair. She felt Lin loosen up slightly and took that as a win.

It had started to get dark now, and the lanterns that lit up Air Temple island seemed to give off a soft glow similar to the stars. The light seemed to dance around the party, and Kya noticed how it highlighted Lin’s silhouette perfectly. Her brow was furrowed and she pursed her lips, crossing her arms as she leaned against a wall of the girl's dormitory. 

The Waterbender frowned, noticing the tension in her form, and stepped in front of her, pulling her forward slightly. Lin seemed too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice at first. Kya gently wrapped both of her arms around Lin’s neck, her fingers playing with a loose strand of hair. She tilted her head slightly as she gazed at the now confused Earthbender with a warm smile. She felt the way Lin’s body suddenly stiffened at her touch.

“Kya, what do you think you’re doing?” Lin hissed as she anxiously glanced behind Kya, as though they would attract attention away from Tenzin and Pema. A warm red color grew in her complexion and Kya had to poorly stifle a laugh.

“I’m just looking at you, or is that not allowed detective?” she murmured in a mocking voice. Her gaze seemed to focus anywhere other than Lin’s eyes. She pressed herself slightly closer, leaving Lin between her and the wall. The Earthhbender could of course get herself out of this situation if she wanted, but she didn’t make any movement to. 

“What if someone sees and thinks…” she trailed off when Kya gazed into her eyes with a mischievous smile, clearly enjoying herself.

“Don’t be so worried Beifong. We can play it off as my teasing. Anyone would believe that” she smiled as she spoke and she could feel Lin’s wandering hands as they wrapped around her waist, getting slightly more comfortable despite her second thoughts. 

Kya eventually had an idea, causing her to slowly pull away. Lin had been leaning forward, as though she had been trying to kiss the Waterbender before she started to pull away. She gave Kya a look of brief disappointment before she realized Kya had something planned. Kya slowly trailed her fingers down Lin’s arm, linking their hands together before guiding Lin farther away from the party.

They walked around the island for a moment before wandering into one of the island’s gardens. It was on a small hill that overlooked the party, so they could watch the festivities from a distance. As they grew closer to a gazebo that stood in the middle of the garden, Kya’s growing excitement caused her to pull more at Lin’s hand. 

When the Earthbender didn’t move fast enough, for her, she let go of her hand and sprinted to the gazebo. She closed her eyes as she began to dance, the music from the party just audible enough from their secluded hideaway. 

She spun till she felt dizzy, laughing to herself, and without any warning, she felt herself trip over her flowing dress as it tangled up her legs. Her eyes flew open, expecting to slam into the ground, but instead, she found herself staring up into an anxious green gaze.

“You saved me!” she cheered, getting to her feet. Lin gave her an annoyed look, parting her lips to likely scold Kya for being so frivolous, as she studied her frame for any injuries. Before she got the chance, however, Kya grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a kiss. She felt the Earthbender swoon and she couldn’t help but smile. The Earthbender’s Lips had a sweet, yet salty taste to them from the snacks they had been eating before.

Kya felt Lin press forward, hands desperately wrapping around her waist. She moved her hands away from Lin’s shoulders and cupped her face, twisting a strand of black hair around her finger. She tried her best not to, but she couldn’t help but laugh in the middle of the kiss. Lin opened her eyes and pulled away, faking an annoyed look. As she moved away, the curl of her hair unwound itself from Kya’s fingers. 

“You really laugh at everything, don’t you?” she grumbled. Kya’s laughter subsided again, and she grinned. Seeing Lin’s slightly annoyed expression excited her more than she would ever admit and only made her want to tease the Earthbender more.

“But you love it,” she joked, playfully pinching Lin’s chin between her thumb and the knuckle of her index finger. The song from the party below them ended, leaving a small lull of silence before they starting again. Both women stayed together for a moment before Kya pulled away again, turning to watch the party below. 

She pushed herself up onto the thick railing that went around the gazebo, sitting down and dangling her feet over the edge. Lin eventually stood next to her, leaning her crossed arms on the railing. They stayed in comfortable silence, listening to the soft music, and cheering from the wedding band. 

“What do we do now…” Kya wondered if she’d heard wrong, turning her head slowly. She was met with Lin’s profile, her gaze still trained on the party below. 

“What do you mean?” Lin turned to face her.

“Well, what were you planning to do after tonight?” she asked. Kya drew a blank before remembering her plan.

“I was still had part of the earth kingdom to see and I think I promised a friend to help teach some new healers in a fire nation town, but I should check on that,” Lin raised a skeptical eyebrow. 

“You think?” Kya rolled her eyes.

“You know I’m not a planner. I’d rather roll with the punches. I just know that I was planning on leaving in a few days,” she turned her gaze back to the view, partly fearing Lin’s reaction. It was a delayed reaction, but it seemed genuine and calm.

“So you came here, pretty much told me that you like me more than a childhood friend, but you’re still going to leave again?” Kya turned back to her slowly, reaching for her hand. She felt Lin’s palms tremble, but the feeling subsided with a gentle squeeze. 

“If you really wanted me to I’ll stay,” she said simply like it wasn’t a second thought. Of course, for Kya, it wasn’t a second thought. She hadn’t said it, but she really felt like she loved Lin. She would stay in Republic City without another word if Lin asked her. 

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that though…” She averted her gaze but squeezed Kya’s hand. While it wasn’t a definitive no, it still stung. 

“Have you been with a woman before?” Kya asked in her gentle tone, trying not to seem pushy or judgmental. She wondered if Lin feared being with another woman, or if she feared being with Kya. A simple nod answered her question. 

“I never technically had a girlfriend though. Couldn’t commit to all the romantic stuff I guess” She turned to Kya again, still holding her hand. “What about you, while you were gone?” her tone was soft, gentle, and had a genuine curiosity. Kya smiled as she recalled her past relationships 

“I had a few. Nothing serious since I left, just a few little fligs that lasted no more than a week or two I’d say,” she explained with a shrug. “I only ever had maybe two or three serious girlfriends. All of them were very sweet and I enjoyed my time with them, but they wouldn’t have worked out in the end.” she leaned back slightly and sighed. 

The Waterbender gazed up at the stars that had peeked out of the smoky, indigo sky. The party below them seemed to sparkle in the night as it slowed down. It was hard to make out Lin’s face in the night, the gazebo only lit by a few lanterns, but she managed to make out the rarely seen softness that she had in her gaze.

“Do you think that we could work?” Lin murmured, standing up straight and perching herself on the railing next to Kya. She sat turned the opposite way, the party behind her so that she was only focusing on the woman beside her. Kya seemed to ponder the idea for a second before smiling softly. 

“Honestly, yes. I think we could. I mean, we would still have challenges like every relationship but I think that if we were to both forth the effort, we could work,” she breathed, a soft smile curling on her lips. She felt her heartbeat pick up the pace as Lin took her hand again, squeezing it tightly. Looking into her eyes she could see how unsure Lin really was, but she still smiled. 

“What if we tried this. We don’t label anything just yet and we see how things go. I’ll leave as I planned, but we’ll write letters and I’ll visit, and if you miss me, we can rethink labeling things then,” She murmured. As she spoke she lifted a hand, tracing the corner of Lin’s lip with her thumb. 

She watched the way Lin started to bite her lower lip. It was a quirk that she had since they were kids. She would bite her lower lip when she was deep in thought about something, weighing both of her options. She eventually nodded and they fell into that comfortable silence again.

Without another word, Lin leaned forward, practically pulling Kya into her lap. Their lips met in another soft kiss before they both pulled away. They stayed pressed together, foreheads lightly touching as they melted into silent bliss. Kya wrapped her arms around the Earthbender and nuzzled her face into the crook of Lin’s neck, kissing her exposed shoulder. 

“I’m going to miss you, aren’t I?” Lin breathed, exhaling slowly as she closed her eyes. Kya smiled and hummed in response. 

“Don’t worry about it detective. It’ll be a mutual feeling…” she murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked this chapter, even though I had a few roadblocks while writing it. 
> 
> I loved writing about Lin dressed up all pretty. I think she’s the type that wouldn't mind dressing more masculine or feminine for special occasions and she could definitely work either one, but she doesn't get the opportunity because she's a workaholic. 
> 
> I'm also thinking about writing some smut next chapter, which I have never attempted before, but that won't be the whole chapter and it can easily be skipped if you aren't into that kind of thing. I will be changing the fic M rated and I will give a warning in the beginning notes.


	9. Dinner & Quality Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya plans to surprise Lin when she makes a spontaneous visit to help Tenzin and Pema with some medical trouble. When the two catch up over dinner, the conversation and the evening eventually lead to an intimate exchange...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point, it’s been about three more years of Kya traveling with letters being written between the two of them and periodic visits. (Lin is 27 & Kya is 29)
> 
> //CW: Ending is smut//
> 
> The ending is my attempt at light smut and isn’t necessary to the story if you’re uncomfortable with that kind of thing. There will be a line dividing the main story and smut as a warning.

Kya hadn’t told Lin that she was back in the city, wanting to surprise her instead. Sure, showing up at her work would probably be annoying and embarrassing, but that was Kya’s job, wasn’t it? Being a pain in the ass kept their relationship interesting. She also knew that Lin enjoyed her teasing, even if she would never admit it.

Pulling open the station door she managed to wander into the bullpen. None of the officers questioned why she was there, understanding at this point that she was here to see Lin. 

A few of Lin’s coworkers waved to Kya, who grinned and waved back herself. Within the past few years, Lin had gotten yet another raise to the position of lieutenant. Along with looser hours that she didn’t take advantage of and a raise, she got her own office. 

The Waterbender knocked and when she heard Lin’s work voice tell her to come in, she slid open the door. Lin had papers scattered around her desk and was focused on a bulletin board with reports and evidence on it. Kya didn’t say a word when she entered the office, instead, hopping onto the desk and scattering some of the papers. 

“I have a meeting so make it -” Lin stopped when she turned around, surprise crossing her face only to be replaced with annoyance. “What do you think you’re doing?” She said, approaching the desk with an arched eyebrow. She circled the opposite side of the desk and leaned on it with her hand. Kya acted like she hadn’t done anything and was now rifling through casefiles with fake interest. 

“Don’t mind me. Get to your meeting, I can wait,” she said, not taking her eyes off of the papers. When Lin sharply exhaled she smiled, putting the papers down with an innocent look.

“Am I not allowed to surprise my favorite girl because she’s a scary lieutenant now?” she tilted her head and poked out her bottom lip in a fake pout. Lin’s cheeks flushed when she was called Kya’s favorite girl, and of course, she had said it intentionally.

“You can, but I’d prefer you surprise me at home rather than at work,” Lin murmured, trying to sound professional but failing, as she now stood with her hips between Kya’s knees since she sat on the desk still. Kya grinned and wrapped her arms around the Earthbender’s shoulders, kissing her nose with a satisfying hum in the back of her throat. 

“That’s not as much fun.” The Waterbender mumbled bluntly, moving down from Lin’s nose to her lips, pressing herself forward on the desk. She felt Lin’s laugh in the back of her throat she pressed forward, running her fingers through the Earthbenders black hair and feeling up her chest with the other hand. Lin had to be the one to pull away. When she did, she had a flushed face and a put-on look that filled Kya with satisfaction.

“Stop that. You know we can’t do that here. I’m working.” She walked away and peeked through her blinds to make sure no one saw them. She had started using her serious work voice again, so Kya knew that her fun was over. She sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. Lin turned back to her with a small exasperated sigh and a soft smile.

“What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were still doing work up north for the next few weeks.” She walked around the other side of her desk and sat in her chair, reorganizing the files Kya had shuffled around. Kya hopped off the desk and followed her, peering out the windows that looked out on the city. 

“I finished early and there wasn’t much going on, then Tenzin asked me to help him with a medical issue he and Pema have been having,” she explained, her eyes trailing after some kind of bird that crossed the city skyline. Lin made a sound of interest but didn’t look up from her papers.

“Are they ok?” She asked, eyes still trained on her paperwork. 

“Well, yes and no. From what I could tell they aren’t sick or dying but it sounds like they’ve been trying to have kids with little luck. I brought some herbs that could help and I’m going to have a look,” she explained. Lin let out a throaty laugh, followed by a slight yelp when Kya batted her shoulder. 

“I didn’t-” she stopped when Kya gave her a look, eyebrows raised. She turned back to her work with a long sigh. “Well good luck to them then,” she grumbled. Kya turned with a smirk and stood behind Lin’s desk chair, sliding her hands down the lieutenant’s front. She kissed Lin’s scared cheek as color rushed to her face. 

“We could get dinner tonight if you wanted, and maybe have ‘alone time’ afterward,” she murmured, noticing the way Lin’s eyebrows raised at the suggestion. 

“Wanna meet at that place we went to last month? They had that moon peach dessert that we shared,” Lin leaned back to look up at Kya, setting the papers down in front of her. The Waterbender nodded and kissed Lin’s forehead before walking around the other side of the desk. 

“8:30. Don’t be late and wear that top I like,” she said with a grin and a provocative wink as she left the office, blowing a kiss behind her. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin had only been a few minutes late, much to Kya’s surprise. She stopped at home and got changed into a pair of black, well-fitting pants and the green button-down top that Kya had been referring to earlier. 

She liked its low cut that showed off some of Lin’s cleavage. She also added a small gold necklace that had three tiny golden heart pendants around her neck. It had been a gift from one of Kya’s travels. 

Kya had met her outside wearing a simple blue dress with a light cream cardigan on top. She’d done her hair up in a tight bun with loose, curled strands of hair framing her face. Her heartbeat had quickened when Lin arrived, starstruck at how beautiful she was. 

“I thought you hated the jewelry I bought you?” She mused in a joking tone after they kissed each other hello. Her hand gently cascaded over the necklace, admiring how well the gold complemented her green gaze. Lin shrugged as a warm rose color filled her cheeks.

“I like this one. It’s simple and doesn’t get in the way,” she muttered, sounding embarrassed by the compliment. Kya grinned and wrapped her arms around Lin’s waist. 

“I’m glad you like it,” she kissed Lin again before taking her hand.

They settled in a corner of the restaurant that was far enough from other people. They weren’t trying to hide their relationship at this point, but it was nice to try and keep things low-key in hopes that the press didn’t pounce on them. They hadn’t told either of their families just yet and it would probably cause more drama if they found out through the paper. 

“How did things go with Tenzin and Pema?” Lin asked after they had received their drinks. Kya took a sip of her wine before she answered. 

“They both seemed fine and healthy for the most part. I did some healing on them both just in case and made them this brew that's supposed to boost fertility,” She got distracted by her nails as she spoke. 

“I couldn’t figure out who was having the issue so they both drank it. We’ll see if it works,” she shrugged. Lin raised her eyebrows and nodded slightly, not fully understanding how all this medical stuff worked.

They eventually ordered and received their meals as the conversation wore on. Kya discussed her most recent endeavors in traversing the Earth kingdom and the North, while Lin brought up some interesting arrests. As they finished up their meal, there was a lull in the conversation. 

“Have you reached out to your sister at all?” It was a question Kya had been meaning to ask and it caught Lin off guard. The Eartbender stopped mid-bite and looked as though she had misheard the question. Kya stayed quiet in waiting for her response. 

“Where did that question come from?” she asked. Lin narrowed her gaze but didn’t seem angry or annoyed. She was mostly confused since Kya had never brought up her younger sister, Suyin before. Kya had finished her meal long before and was now looking over the dessert menu. 

“Well, I had a quick visit to Zaofu last month and it got me wondering is all,” she said with an innocent shrug. “What if we try this apple tart? It has a charming star design in it,” she changed the subject without a second thought. 

“Oh so I’m assuming you met with Su and she asked about me, right?” The Earthbender exhaled sharply, not answering Kya’s question about dessert. Kya closed the menu and folded her hands on the table. 

“I’d say we bumped into each other rather than met up.” Lin snorted and Kya squinted her eyes with a frown. 

“Look, I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to, and I don’t want this to be a fight, but she wants to mend broken fences. She’s grown up and I think you’d be proud of her,” she murmured. Lin had that twisted look on her face where she knew Kya was right and didn’t want to admit it. When the Waterbender reached out and touched her hand she sighed and gave her a small, defeated smile. 

“I’ll think about getting in touch, ok?” she grumbled, squeezing Kya’s hand. Kya gave her a gratifying smile and pulled out the menu again. “Show me that apple thing you were talking about before,” she asked, leaning over the table.

After receiving their dessert they ate in relative silence before Lin’s wandering thoughts caused her to pipe up. 

“What’s Su been up to anyways?” Kya gave her a surprised look as she chewed her bite and Lin groaned loudly. “Never mind, forget I asked,” she grumbled. Kya smiled and shook her head, swallowing what she had been chewing. 

“She’s 25 now if you forgot, and she got married a few years ago to a sweet guy. They’ve been running Zaofu together and seem very happy. They also have three kids, two boys, and a girl. They adopted the girl and by the looks of it they’re planning for a fourth in the near future,” she chirped. 

“Su always said she wanted a hundred kids,” Lin huffed, whipping the corner of her mouth with a napkin. Kya smiled and rolled her eyes. 

They paid for their meal and began to walk back to Lin’s apartment, taking a detour through the park. Kya linked her arm with Lin’s, resting her forehead against the Earthbender’s shoulder. They walked and listened to the quiet sounds around them, simply enjoying each other’s company.

“So, what were you thinking we should do for the rest of the evening? It’s only 10:00 pm after all,” Kya asked in a fake question tone, knowing they had the same idea already. Lin glanced around them, making sure they were out of earshot as they exited the park.

“I was thinking about going down on you till you couldn’t walk if you would be inclined to let me,” her voice was smooth and warm, as she spoke directly into Kya’s ear. A rush of warmth ran through the Waterbender as she picked up the pace, practically dragging Lin back to her apartment now. 

“Oh, I would be very inclined please, and thank you,” she replied, her voice going up an octave with excitement.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin locked the apartment door behind them as Kya desperately clung to her arm, pulling at the Earthbender as she tried to hurry her up. They both stumbled in half-drunken bliss as they removed their shoes, leaving them by the door. 

Kya couldn’t help but giggle the entire time, pulling at Lin’s buttondown in a bad attempt to strip her. She got a few buttons undone, exposing her chest. Kya excitedly slipped her fingers under the fabric before strong hands caught her by the wrists, stopping her. Lin used that firm yet gentle manner when handling Kya, knowing that it drove her crazy.

“Relax love,” hot breath murmured against her ear before warm lips began to kiss the spot where her jaw met her throat. She felt strong arms scoop under her, lifting her off the ground. She practically melted into Lin’s arms when she used that relaxed, breathy voice to call her “love.” She pulled the Earthbender into a kiss, pulling her lower lip between her teeth, and hummed as she stared deep into Lin’s green gaze.

Eagerly leaning forward, she began peppering kisses along the Earthbender’s neck and now exposed shoulder. She wrapped her legs around Lin’s waist as she was carried into the bedroom. She gently kissed and nipped at the nape of the Earthbenders neck, tugging at her hair as she teased. She could feel the way Lin grew eager as her grasp comfortably tightened. 

Lin seemed to rush and bumped into the couch as she headed to the bedroom, causing Kya to burst out in muffled laughter against her lover’s neck. She adjusted her hips against the other woman’s core, knowing that it would drive her mad with desire. The bedroom door was forced open and they collapsed into the bed, hunger taking over. 

Kya got comfortable on the bed after removing Lin’s pants for her, while she removed her top. The Waterbender slid onto the pillows as she pulled at her dress, which now pooled around her hips. She beckoned for Lin to accompany her in the bed. 

The Earthbender joined her as she removed her top and bra, sliding between her legs and pushing the remainder of the dress over her lover’s head. Kya felt the way Lin planted her knee between her legs, earning a light moan in the back of her throat. 

“You never seem to wear any bindings when we go out, do you?” Kya could tell that Lin was trying to sound irritated, but she couldn’t seem to hide the smile that crept into her lips as she kissed her shoulder, then moved down to the space between the Waterbender’s breasts. A soft laugh bounced around Kya’s chest as she tangled her finger in Lin’s black hair. 

“It just makes it easier for both of us,” she murmured, wrapping her legs around the woman that lay on top of her. Lin made an expression that seemed like she agreed as she moved upward again. She gently bit Kya’s lower lip, causing her to practically purr with pleasure. The Waterbender adjusted her hips against Lin’s firmly planted knee. She kissed her harder to express her growing anticipation. 

Lin then trailing back down her jaw, tracing the way her throat curved. Kya moaned softly in her ear and threw her head back slightly, exposing more of her neck. She felt the grasp around her waist tighten in the possessive way that she loved, causing her to heat up more. She pulled at the Earthbenders turned shoulder blades, admiring how sculpted her figure was.

Lin moved downward, kissing the soft parts of her breasts, then down her stomach as she gently pulled silk underwear away, exposing the soft skin between her thighs. Each light touch sent shivers through Kya’s skin as she grew hungry. 

The Earthbender traced circles in her skin, kissing her lover’s inner thighs as she stared her down in a teasing manner. Kya could tell she enjoyed watching her squirm with growing impatience as she exhaled sharply in slight primal frustration. She could see Lin’s content smile before she started. She firmly planted a hand on either thigh, keeping her still. 

Lin made quick work of her, knowing what and how she wanted it. Kya let go of the moan that had formed in the back of her throat. In moments like this, hot breath and warm skin mingling together, she remembered how much she loved the Earthbender. She moved quickly, her touch growing stronger and faster as Kya’s mussels tensed. It didn’t take long for the strong sensation of orgasm to take over, causing her to arch her back and cry out. 

She gripped the sheets below her as she recovered, sweat dripping down her forehead as she grinned, chest rising and falling in quick, rhythmic time. She felt the grip on her thighs leave and the mattress next to her give way as Lin joined her. She pushed back the loose strands of hair that clung to Kya’s forehead, kissing her cheek. 

“I love you,” she murmured as they gazed at each other. Kya smiled with a breathless laugh, grabbing Lin’s hand firmly and kissing her knuckles before sitting up. Wordlessly, she swung herself on top of the Earthbender, straddling her with her legs. She felt the breath catch in Lin’s chest as she pressed forward, tracing the Earthbender’s lips with her thumb and kissing the side of her mouth to be a tease. 

“Now, it’s my turn,” she purred, kissing the spot where Lin’s jaw met her throat. It resulted in a groan from her lover as she tightly grabbed at Kya’s thighs again, holding her in place as though she agreed. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After they had worn each other out, they had gotten comfortable under the covers, bare skin melting into each other with the rise and fall of warm breath. Lin had tangled her hand in Kya’s hair, stroking her soft chestnut locks as the Waterbender rested on her chest, gazing up into her glossy green eyes. She felt like she was floating as Lin stroked her hair, both of them wordlessly expressing their love for each other. 

“You seem tired,” she murmured, a small yawn interrupting her at the end. Lin smiled and snorted, rolling her eyes. 

“Speak for yourself, party girl,” she murmured back. Kya smiled and kissed Lin’s breast, not breaking the firm eye contact she had. Her fingers lazily drew circles in the small of Lin’s upper chest and she pulled herself forward, planting a firm kiss on the corner of Earthbender’s lips. She noticed the way she was tentatively gazing at her and pulled away, rolling to her side and curling up under her arm. 

“You have that look. What’s on your mind?” she whispered. Lin rolled onto her side, facing Kya on the pillow. 

“I think I want to label it. Label us,” she pushed loose hair away from Kya’s forehead. The Waterbender processed it for a moment before lazily smiling. 

“So I can call you my girlfriend now?” she grinned. Lin sheepishly nodded, a flush coming to her cheeks. Kya grasped Lin’s hand, kissing her fingers with a soft smile. The Earthbender’s gaze shifted into slight sadness, and Kya gave her a worried look. 

“What’s the matter?” she tangled a finger around Lin’s hair. 

“I don’t think I want you to go again,” her tone was honest and shy, as though she felt childish for thinking it. 

“I don’t have to go if you don’t want me too,”

“Don’t you have other things to do? More things to see?” Kya shook her head. 

“I’ve seen enough of the world. It would be nice to see you every day for a change though,” she grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. Lin scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I mean it! I could bring my things over tomorrow and never leave,” She already had a few things lying around Lin’s apartment from when she visited the city and stayed the night, so it wouldn’t be a huge adjustment. Lin sighed and nodded in agreement, making it official.

“I love you,” she murmured before kissing her hand again. Lin pulled her into her chest. 

“I love you too,” she murmured, her voice gravely from the growing tiredness. Kya nuzzled into her shoulder, a mischievous grin forming on her lips as she kissed Lin’s shoulder again. 

“What are you thinking about now?” Kya looked up, moving her face next to Lin’s on the pillow. 

“Am I better than Tenzin?” she smiled from ear to ear, knowing exactly what she had just asked. Lin stared at her in complete shock before her brow furrowed. The next thing Kya saw was Lin’s palm as she was pushed away. She cried out dramatically, laughing the whole time as Lin rolled over.

“You’re the worst,” she hissed as Kya laughed hysterically. The Waterbender crawled back over to her, climbing over her shoulder and kissing her cheek. 

“It was a reasonable question!” she squeaked, poking at Lin’s face. The Earthbender tried to hold back her laughter, throwing a pillow at Kya to stop her from seeing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve never written anything of this nature, so it may not be the best smut you’ve read (if you read that part anyway). It was a fun experiment though, so maybe you’ll see more. I haven’t decided just yet. 
> 
> While working on chapter 8 I realized that the Air kids are all going to be much closer in age with Korra than I originally planned, and to compensate for that, Jinora is going to already be a master. I know this kind of messes up her whole cannon ark, but I’m going to try and make up for it with some tension between her and Tenzin.


	10. Family Values

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Kya drags Lin to family dinner it seems like everyone has some good news to share...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been about two months since the last chapter. 
> 
> //CW: minor swearing//

“I could just eat at home. We still have some of those noodles from the other night,” Lin protested from the bedroom. Kya sighed as she gathered her keys, pulling on a jacket and a scarf as she waited for Lin to join her at the door. 

“No, I threw those out. They spoiled faster than I thought,” She called back. She smiled as Lin grumbled something that she couldn’t make out. Lin eventually exited the bedroom wearing a nice black buttondown dress and a pair of dark brown boots. She pulled on her coat that tied in the front and crossed her arms with a look of forced annoyance.

“Don’t you clean up nice?” Kya murmured as she stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Lin’s waist and kissed her jaw, earning a grumble from her partner. Kya pulled back and sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Are you really this bothered about spending time with my family, or is something else going on.” Lin’s expression loosened and she sighed.

“I’m just tired. Work has been a lot and I would prefer a quiet evening alone with you,” she mumbled, squeezing Kya’s hips in an attempt to change her mind about dinner. Kya arched an eyebrow slightly, knowing what game she was trying to play. 

“We won’t stay long, I promise. It’s just dinner, plus Bumi’s in town so mother insisted. Then, when we get home, I’m all yours,” she murmured, brushing her lip lightly against Lin’s. 

“I could just make you mine now though,” Lin practically growled, leaning in for another kiss, only for Kya to pull away and unlock the door. She laughed at Lin’s frustrated reaction, grabbing her hand so that they could leave for dinner. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ferry had been a few minutes late, so Lin and Kya now stood huddled together at the republic city dock as the cold ocean breeze wiped around the. Lin clearly seemed more annoyed about dinner now, leaving it up to Kya to lighten the mood. She wiggled her arm’s around Lin’s frame, her head nestled into the Earthbender’s chest. 

“Are you mad at me for making you come tonight?” she murmured. She noticed the surprise in Lin’s gaze, but her mouth remained a faint line. Their breath was visible in the city’s cold air, causing small clouds to form before melting away. 

“What? No, I’m not mad,” she wrapped an arm around Kya’s shoulder, squeezing her slightly. “I’m mostly annoyed by everything else. But not you,” she mumbled. Kya snickered slightly, kissing the exposed part of Lin’s neck from under her coat. She felt the way the Earthbender flinched before giving Kya a blushing glare. 

“You better not do that all night,” she muttered, earning a kiss on the cheek from Kya. 

“If you react like that then I might have too,” she whispered, warm breath against Lin’s chilled ear. Her partner parted her lips to either argue or say something sarcastic, but she was interrupted by the arriving ferry. The two women boarder the large boat, hand in hand, and stood at the helm to watch as they approached Airtemple Island. 

Kya’s thoughts wandered to the question she’d been meaning to ask, knowing that they should talk before dinner. She seemed to hide in Lin’s shoulder as she wondered how to bring the topic up, knowing she was running out of time now.

“You ok love?” Lin’s worried tone interrupted her thoughts. Kya looked up with a put-on smile and nodded. 

“Yeah, I just wanted to talk before dinner is all,” she murmured. Lin tilted her head slightly with a worried look. 

“What’s up?” she asked, turning towards the Waterbender more and taking her hand. 

“I want to tell my family about us, but I won’t if you’re not ready.” She didn’t look up into Lin’s green gaze, fearing she would say no. “I love you and I don’t want to feel like I’m hiding you, but I won’t say anything if you’re not ready.” she rushed her words but stopped her rambling when Lin reassuringly squeezed her hand. 

“Of course we can tell them,” Lin murmured, kissing her forehead. Kya widened her gaze, not expecting such a sure answer. 

“Really? You won’t be too uncomfortable, and it won’t be too awkward?” Lin laughed at her worried question, shaking her head slightly.

“Kya, I’ll be fine, but of course it’s going to be awkward. There’s just no avoiding that. I’m fine with being awkward if you are,” she murmured, pulling Kya in slightly closer. Kya grinned, cupping Lin’s face in her hands and kissing her softly. She felt the way Lin melted into her hands and smiled between their lips. Once they pulled apart Lin laughed lightly.

“I’m pretty sure your parents suspect something though,” she murmured. Kya grinned and nodded. 

“Mom keeps asking me why I haven’t brought any girls home lately,” she laughed before breathlessly kissing Lin again just before the ferry docked at the Island.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Next thing I know, I’m awake on a Firenation beach!” Bumi yells out in the kitchen, firmly grabbing Tenzin’s shoulder and shaking the Airbender as he tells his story. Tenzin pulled away and adjusted his robes, grumbling something about his frustrating brother. He opened his jaw to say something else but was pulled away when Pema called for him. Kya could only laugh and roll her eyes. 

“How much of that story was actually true?” Lin pipes up, returning to the group with two drinks, handing one to Kya who thanked her with a small nod. Bumi shrugged dramatically.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe 60, 75% of it?” he batted and hand and shook his head ad Lin archer her eyebrows, glancing at Kya. The Waterbender grinned with a small laugh, leaning into Lin some, but not enough for anyone to notice. Bumi took a swig of his drink, not yet drunk but definitely buzzed and grinned at his sister. 

“So, any new lady friends lately? It's been a few years now, right? I think the last person I remember was that Firenation girl. What happened with her again?” he babbled, leaning against the kitchen counter. 

“She ended up leaving me for some stable guy. I think they got married or something.” Kya’s gaze darted up at Lin as she wrapped an arm behind and around the Earthbender’s waist. “You could say I have a girlfriend now though,” she glanced up at Lin again, who sighed in slight embarrassment. Kya was giving obvious hints and wanted her brother to connect the dots, but it didn’t seem to be working. 

“Well, who is she. Am I supposed to guess?” he asked, finishing off his drink. Lin parted her lips to answer the question herself and get the tedious game over with, but Kya pinched her hip to stop her. The Earthbender’s cheeks flushed and she glared at amused Waterbender. Bumi studied the exchange with a squinted, confused expression until realization hit him like a rock. 

“Holy fucking shit Kya!” He yelled out loud, punching his sister in the shoulder. He was lucky Katara wasn’t in the room or he would have been hit over the head for it. Kya burst out laughing while Lin closed her eyes, rubbing her temple with her thumb and forefinger, with a long, drawn-out sigh. 

“You finally scored the big one!” he cheered and laughed along with his sister, lightheartedly ruffling her hair. Lin gave Kya an annoyed look, her face still flushed from all the attention, and the Waterbender could only grin up at her triumphantly. 

“‘The big one?’ Really?” Kya could only shrug in response as Lin helped fix her ruffled hair.

“Bumi always wanted me to make a move,” she purred, leaning into Lin and giving her a sideways squeeze. Bumi eventually gathered himself after showing his obvious support for the relationship. He started excitedly asking questions about how it finally happened and Kya gushed about how sweet Lin was in her letters. 

Shortly after, Tenzin returned to the kitchen to refill a drink when Bumi wrapped an arm around their little brother’s shoulder, pulling him back into the circle. Kya had no time to share her own news as Bumi took over. 

“You missed out on the big news Tenny!” Kya watched as Lin clenched her jaw. “Our dear sister and Linny become a bit of an item,” Bumi started with a wink. Kya squeezed Lin’s hip, wordlessly apologizing for her brother's behavior. Tenzin seemed confused before he noticed the way Lin averted her gaze and how red her face was from all of the attention. Kya grew stiff as a sudden fear took over.

The Airbender arched his eyebrows, eyes wide as his mouth opened for a moment. His eye darted between an embarrassed Lin and an unsure Kya. The Waterbender could only smile, not being able to gauge her brother’s reaction caused more panic to settle in. She had wanted to gently tell Tenzin so that the news wasn't too much of a shock. 

Tenzin of course supported Kya in her romantic relationships and was nothing but positive when she came out, but she couldn’t help worrying about his reaction to her relationship with Lin. She worried his reaction would hurt Lin, but now she didn’t have control of the situation due to Bumi’s interjection.

“Oh…” was all he could say, before clearing his throat. “That's- that's new…” he didn’t seem sure of what was going on as he struggled to put thoughts into words. Pema entered the kitchen to find the group stuck in awkward silence. She smiled and made her way to join in the conversation before Tenzin pulled her away. 

“I need to ask you something my dear,” His voice was raised as he dashed across the kitchen, taking Pema by the arm and swiftly taking her into the other room. The three were left alone again, leaving Kya to show her irritation. She let go of Lin and hit her brother atop the head the way their mother would. He yelped in pain but couldn’t respond in time. Kya had swiftly taken Lin’s hand and left the kitchen. 

“Kya, wait-” She had pulled Lin outside and into one of the house gardens, stoped as Lin spoke. She felt tears spring to her eyes as her gaze fell on Lin’s worried expression. 

“I’m sorry. Telling people was a mistake-” she was cut off when Lin lightly kissed her, drying the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Lin gently pulled away, resting her forehead against Kya’s for a moment and looking into her eyes. 

“It’s alright. You did nothing wrong. What's got you so worked up?” Lin murmured. Her voice was smooth yet solid. Just by speaking she relaxed the Waterbender. Kya wrapped her arms around Lin’s front, burying her face in her shoulder. 

“I worried that he upset you, and you’d regret being open about us…” Lin made a sound like she understood as she nodded and gently rubbed Kya’s back. She kissed the top of Kya’s head and smiled with a short breath. 

“Kya, I would never regret you. Practically everyone at the station either knows or suspects they’re my girlfriend at this point.” Kya gave her a surprised look. She hadn’t realized how relaxed Lin felt. “And who gives a shit what Tenzin thinks? He’s an airhead and if he has a problem, it's up to him to get over it.” Kya smiled and laughed gently at the remark as her tears subsided. 

As if on cue, Pema pushed Tenzin and Bumi into the garden with a disappointed look. Both men hunched their shoulders with guilt, not meeting anyone's gaze. Pema pushed past the two men and approached Lin and Kya, who had let go of one another now. Pema took each of their hands in her own, her gaze shifting between them in a kind smile. 

“I’m so happy for both of you,” She firmly pulled both women into an embrace. “You make an absolutely lovely couple and I’m sorry for the idiot men in our family.” Pema shot Tenzin and Bumi a look as they turned their attention away. 

“I think you have something you have something you’d like to say to them, Tenzin” She insisted. Kya had to admit, she hadn’t seen this aggressive side in Pema before, but it was a nice look for her. Both men stayed quiet before Tenzin piped up. 

“I’m very sorry for my reaction. It was very shocking news is all,” he cleared his throat and blinked when Pema gave him an unsatisfied look. “But I’m nothing but supportive of you both if you make each other happy,” he added. Pema seemed satisfied but turned her rath onto Bumi. 

“What about you?” she hissed, arching an eyebrow. 

“Um- I’m sorry I told you’re news. I should have let you tell Tenzin on your own.” Kya couldn’t help but smile at her brothers and nodded, excepting their apologies. Pema stepped out of the way, letting the boys approach and wrap their sister in a firm hug. 

“Your both idiots, you know that?” she teased as they squeezed the life out of her. They let go and shrugged with soft smiles.

“Have you told mom and dad yet?” Tenzin asked. He turned to Lin, gesturing that the question also applied to her. 

“No, not yet. But we have a feeling they already know.” Kya smiled, leaving her brothers to stand beside Lin and take her hand. Tenzin nodded and wrapped his arm around Pema. 

“Well, we’re all very excited for you,” Bumi chimed in, gently nudging Lin’s shoulder as she rolled her eyes. 

Aang poked his head into the garden, not expecting to find all of his children gathered there. 

“Your mother says that dinner is ready,” he insisted with a slightly confused look. “Is everything alright?” he asked, eyes darting between his children and their partners. They all nodded and filed into the dining room. Lin and Kya brought up the rear, and when Kya took a shaky breath she felt a soft squeeze around her hand. Gazing up at Lin she gave her a soft smile and a quick, stolen kiss on the cheek.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dinner had gone by smoothly for the most part. Kya sat next to Lin, having quickly finished her meal, and now she was listening to the shifting conversation. Bumi was telling some stories about his travels in the Firenation. 

“But, because of that great success, I have been promoted to a general,” The news didn’t register immediately since it had been the end of his story, but once it had been processed there was an uproar of celebration at the table. 

“Congrats you knucklehead!” Kya grinned, leaning forward and fist-bumping her brother across the table. Lin gave him a stoic nod of approval as Katara hugged her son. Bumi smiled and turned his attention to Lin and Kya. 

“What about your news?” he asked, eyes darting towards their surprised parents. Kya squeezed Lin’s hand under the table, anxiety creeping into her throat without warning. She swallowed the dryness and parted her lips to speak, but Lin beat her to it. 

“Kya and I have been together, romantically, for a while now,” she stated simply, giving Kya a gentle smile. Tuning to her parents, so saw the widening smiles as more congratulations came. 

“I’ll say, I wasn’t expecting any of this, but I’m so happy for all of you,” Aang spoke with a soft smile, holding Katara’s hand. Now that it was out in the air, Kya leaned into Lin more than before, resting her cheek against the Earthbender’s shoulder. 

“You’ll be excited about Tenzin and Pema’s news then,” Kya hinted with raised eyebrows. Her brother was surprised by the sudden attention, but he smiled and nodded, taking Pema’s hand beside him. After a few moments, Pema smiled wide and leaned against Tenzin. 

“We’re having a baby!” she burst out. Katara’s eyes widened and she grabbed hold of Aang’s arm. The group feared she would pass out from excitement. Everyone stood around the table exchanging well wishes from all the good news. Katara hugged her daughter-in-law as she started to cry, Aang giving his son a long handshake before pulling him into a similar hug. 

Lin turned and wrapped an arm around Kya’s shoulder with a small smile. 

“You knew all along, didn’t you?” Kya could only grin and nod.

“Pema came to me a few weeks ago. She wanted it to be a surprise so she couldn’t ask mom,” she shrugged, leaning into Lin’s embrace. Eventually, the party moved on congratulating everyone. Lin was dragged into a hug from Aang as Kya received a kiss on the cheek from her overjoyed mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pema doesn’t get enough credit honestly. She’s such a sweetheart and she calls Tenzin out on his shit. I really enjoyed writing her so maybe more Pema in the future? 
> 
> Also, I know that Lin and Kya "Labeled it" the last chapter and Lin said they've been together for a while, but they've pretty much been loosely dating for 3+ years now, so it seems like their relationship is moving fast, its because they took it hella slow in the beginning and I'm making up for lost time.


	11. Old Death, New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the recent passing of Avatar Aang, Republic city has been in a constant state of mourning. Aang’s death has a major effect on everyone, especially those close to him. People must mourn differently and lean on each other for support. But there is still light in this dark time…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters may be a little delayed btw. I really need to catch up on school since it's the end of the quarter this weekend, and I haven't been able to write chapter 12. I also want to avoid writer's block and burnout and I need to plan how the next few chapters are going to go. I have some exciting ideas, so don't worry!

Lin had stayed at work much later than she had planned, yet again, and now she returned to a cold apartment. She kept quiet, locking the door behind her with a long sigh. The only lights on came from the kitchen and the bathroom. The rest of the apartment was drowned in black from the night. The Earthbender removed her armor, letting it sit in a pile next to the apparent door. 

She sluggishly made her way into the kitchen, finding a now cold plate left for her. She appreciated Kya cooking but wasn’t hungry and ended up putting it back with the other leftovers. Between the two women, the fridge was fully stocked, yet neither of them really had any appetite. Lin got a glass of water, leaning against the cold kitchen counter as she sipped it. The kitchen clock read 12:07.

She leaned forward, looking towards the hallway. The Bathroom light had been left on for her and she could see the small cracked open door looking into their bedroom. She felt completely drained mentally and physically, but she couldn’t see that changing anytime soon. Aang had passed about a month ago, and the following week her mother chose to retire. Lin had been pushed into the chief role, and between her new job and grieving, the work seemed to pile up. 

She let out a cold sigh, finishing her water as she pushed off the counter. She made her way into the bathroom, finding that Kya had left out a towel and a change of clothes for her. The Earthbender smiled at the gesture, despite how much it really saddened her. 

She knew Kya was taking her father’s death hard, as she should, but the Waterbender wouldn’t talk or show the pain she was really in. Instead, she had been distracting herself and putting all her energy into caring for the people around her when she needed to be cared for too. 

Kya had gotten a job at one of the hospitals by the police station and she’d been working doubles shifts as a distraction. When she still had extra time, she went to Airtemple Island and helped the Air Acolytes tend to the island. She was also helping Pema prepare for the birth of her first child, who was due any day now. It all seemed harmless, but Lin could see how tired her partner really was. 

With both women so busy, they didn’t get much time together. When they were together, they only spoke briefly before falling asleep. Lin would wake with Kya flushed against her, which was normal, but her grip seemed more desperate and tight than before. She would whimper in her sleep from dreams, and if Lin woke her she would insist that it was fine and tell Lin to go back to sleep.

Lin thought over the past month in her head. She recalled Aang as he passed. He had seemed so tired from working his whole life, and he was ready to join the spirits. He had all of his children by his side and he told them all how much he loved them. He still had a smile on his face, after all, that time. 

She recalled the choking sound that Kya had made when he was finally gone. It had been so sudden and unexpected, like when a glass is dropped and you don’t expect it to shatter. Lin got choked up again just thinking about it.

Lin finished her much-needed shower, washing away all the sweat and grime from her extra hours before turning off the water. She dried off and pulled on her change of fresh clothes. She moved to leave that bathroom but got distracted by her reflection. She noticed the faint bags under her eyes and all the new nicks and scars that littered her shoulders and back. 

She pulled at a grey hair that had been swimming around her black hair. It surprised her for a moment before she grumbled. She was only in her early 30’s and hadn’t expected to start going grey just yet. However, she recalled Kya jokingly telling her that all the stress of work would make her go grey early. She threw away the hair and left the bathroom, leaving on the light just in case. 

She quietly pushed into the shared bedroom, the door groaning softly on its hinges. In the dark, she could make out Kya’s form in the bed. A small smile crept into the Eathbender’s lips as she entered the darkened room. Other than the sound of her footsteps, Lin could hear Kya’s rhythmic, muffled breathing.

In the colder months, Kya had a habit of completely wrapping the comforter around herself, making her look like a mound of fluff in the middle of the bed. All Lin could see of her partner was the upper half of her face and the long brown hair that grew from her head. Beneath her blankets, Kya had wrapped herself around Lin’s pillow, squeezing it close and breathing in Lin’s metallic scent. 

Lin climbed into the bed, causing Kya to stir from her blankets as the mattress gave way. 

“You’re late…” she murmured with a long yawn as she untangled from the blankets so that Lin could climb into her warm cocoon. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Lin murmured, running her hand over Kya’s forehead to move the hair from her face. Kya let go of the pillow, shoving it over to Lin. She mumbled something that Lin couldn’t hear and clung to the Earthbender’s chest, closing her eyes again. 

“It’s ok. I wasn’t really sleeping…” Lin now noticed that her partner was only wearing a pair of underwear and one of Lin’s green cardigans as her hand accidentally grazed Kya’s exposed breast. She heard the Waterbender laugh gently when she had put two and two together. Lin rolled her eyes and sighed, warping her arm around Kya’s figure so that they could be closer. 

Kya’s grip grew tighter and she seemed like she was trying to press closer to Lin, even though they were already flush together. In the darkness, Lin heard a shaky breath and felt the way Kya trembled as she tried to fall back to sleep. The Earthbender kissed her lover's forehead and rubbed her back. When she adjusted her pillow she realized how damp it was, causing her to squeeze Kya a little tighter. 

“Tell me what's on your mind,” Lin murmured. She knew Kya needed to talk but she was keeping it all bottled up. They laid in bed, Lin on her back as Kya nestled into her chest. She felt the Waterbender take another long breath and shake her head.

“No, it's ok. You need sleep,” Her voice was muffled by Lin’s chest. 

“I can stay awake. You need me more,” Her tone was firm but still soft and comforting. “Talk to me,” She brushed the hair away from Kya’s face as she sat up in bed beside Lin. She couldn’t make out Kya’s expression in the darkness, but she could hear how hollow her chest was as she took trembling breaths.

“I feel like I disappointed him. He always said that we would all go on to do great things, and my brothers did, but what about me? What great thing have I done? Tenzin is rebuilding the Air Nation, Bumi is protecting the world, but all I did was run away,” her breathing grew faster as she let it all spill out. It was a lot to process at once, but Lin knew it was what Kya needed. She sat up in bed, sitting cross-legged in front of Kya, and took her hand as she continued. 

“He always said he was proud of me, and part of me believes that he was, but I was still never what he truly wanted. He wanted me to be an Airbender. I was supposed to be an Airbender, and I thought I could make up for it by being a great Waterbender, but what if I still wasn’t good enough?” Lin pulled her into her lap as Kya began to shake, feeling the tears run down her cheeks. Kya clung to the Earthbender, her words slurring into incoherent sobs. 

Lin let her cry for as long as she needed, her chin resting on Kya’s head as she rubbed her shoulder, rocking her gently. Kya’s grip eventually loosened and she stopped shaking. Her sobs became periodic sniffs and she dried the tears from her face. Lin gazed down at her, cupping the Waterbender’s damp cheek in her palm. Kya’s blue gaze practically glowed in the darkness. 

“Kya, none of that’s true,” She felt Kya part her lips to interrupt, but she exhaled instead, leaning into Lin’s palm. “Aang loves you and your brothers so much, and I know that he’s so proud of you. If he was disappointed in you for running, then he would have been a hypocrite, and we both know that your father was no hypocrite.” Kya averted her gaze slightly, taking Lin’s hand into her own. 

“You’re the smartest person I know, and you're the most skilled bender I’ve ever met. You studied and worked to understand the Airbender culture. I bet you know more about it than Tenzin does, and you’ve beaten Bumi more times than I can count without bending at all.” She murmured, feeling Kya shift in her lap. 

“Now, you’re thriving and helping so many people that need you, but you need to let yourself need too,”

She felt Kya nodded her head in understanding as a few more tears spilled from her eyes. Lin ran her fingers through Kya’s hair, knowing that the gesture generally relaxed her. Guilt grew in Lin’s chest as she recalled all her late hours and all the time that Kya must have been sending alone.

“I’m sorry I’ve been working so much” she murmured “I’ll take some time off, ok? Maybe we could get away and just be together for a while,” she felt Kya perk up at the idea and she sat up. 

“You’re willing to take time off for me? I must be more special than I thought,” she said with a small, horse laugh. Lin smiled and nodded, kissing Kya’s cheek.

“That’s my girl,” she murmured between kisses. She felt Kya smile and wrap her arms around Lin’s neck. She leaned forward and rested her head on Lin’s shoulder with a light breath.

“Thank you, Lin,” she mumbled, her voice starting to sound tired again. Lin smiled and kissed her cheek again. 

“Of course love,” she shifted slightly, moving Kya off her lap. “Now, get some sleep.” They both got comfortable again in a tangle of limbs as sleep drifted between them. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin was pulled out of her slumber much earlier than she would have liked. The apartment was drowned in pitch black darkness as the home phone rang in the living room. The Earthbender groaned, finding that she had shifted in her sleep. She had been resting her forehead against Kya’s exposed core as her chest rose and fell from sleep. She kissed her lover's belly before pushing herself out of bed, groaning as the phone rang on. 

Before answering the phone Lin checked the kitchen clock. It read 3:37 am. She hissed to herself before picking up the phone, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

“This better be important,” she yawned into the phone, leaning against one of the chairs in the living room. 

“Lin! Is Kya with you?” Tenzin barked over the line. His voice sounded slightly shaken and it was much louder than Lin expected. The panic in his voice didn’t register at first due to Lin still being half asleep. 

“Yeah but she's sleeping. What do you want, Tenzin? It's the middle of the night,” she blinked slowly, rubbing her temple with her free hand in an attempt to keep herself awake for a little longer.

“Lin the baby’s coming. Kya needs to get here. She insisted that she needed to be here!” Tenzin’s frantic voice rang through the phone. Lin’s eyes widened in realization as a muffled scream, likely from Pema, could be heard over the phone. She calculated what to do for a moment before groaning and nodding. 

“Ok, I’ll get her. We’ll be there in a few-” Tenzin hung up the phone when Pema cried out for him again. Lin put down the phone, grumbling to herself in frustration as she quickly made it to the bedroom again. She turned on the bedroom light, causing Kya to groan in protest and cover her head with the blanket. 

Lin grabbed a change of clothes for Kya and couldn’t help smiling at her partner's wordless protest. She walked over to the bed, a shirt and a loose pair of sweats in hand, and gently pulled the blanket from Kya’s face. 

“You gotta wake up love, we need to go to the Air Temple,” Lin pulled at Kya’s arm gently, earning a slurred grumble in response. “Kya, Tenzin just called and the baby’s coming right now,” she pulled at Kya again. The mention of the baby helped stir her. Kya was now sat up in the bed, eyes squinting in the light with her hair wild around her face. 

“What'd you say?” she yawned as she rubbed her eyes, still not processing what was going on. Lin had to suppress her smile, loving the sleepy voice Kya had when she first woke up. 

“The baby’s coming and you insisted on being there, remember?” Of course, Katara was there and could easily do the delivery, but Kya had been insistent that she would help deliver Tenzin and Pema’s first child. She blinked now, starting to understand. 

She rubbed her temple and took the clothes that Lin had gotten for her, Pulling off the cardigan to put the shirt on, only to put the cardigan back on. After taking the pants, Kya instructed Lin on what she would need. 

“I have a bag packed in the bathroom, could you grab it for me?” she asked, pulling the pants over her hips. She smoothed out her hair the best she could, throwing it into a messy bun atop her head. Lin nodded, grabbing the bag from the bathroom. She found Kya at the door now, putting on a pair of shoes and getting her keys. She took the bag from Lin, quickly kissing her lips with a tired smile. 

“Do you want me to come?” Kya shook her head, throwing the bag over her shoulder. 

“No. Go get some sleep. You have work tomorrow,” she said, opening the apartment door with her keys. 

“Alright. I’ll come by the island to pick you up after my shift. Around 5:00, ok?” Kya smirked and squeezed Lin’s hand, kissing her cheek. “And I’ll take all of next week off.” Kya raised her eyebrows in surprise, nor sure if she fully believed her partner.

“Sounds great.” She said before closing the apartment door behind her. Lin stood at the door for a moment before returning to their bed with a long, tired sigh. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was close to 5:30 when Lin landed on the island. She was greeted by a visibly tired yet excited Kya, who had changed into a more common blue water tribe dress instead of the pajamas and cardigan she had left in. Lin embraced the Waterbender, kissing her quickly before speaking. 

“How did everything go last night?” she murmured, her hands settling on Kya’s waist as she gazed into her misty blue gaze. 

“She’s beautiful and it went smoothly. Tenzin was a mess the whole time, I wish you could have seen.” she laughed, tilting her head to the said as Lin stroked her cheek. Her gaze seemed to shift into slight worry as she gazed up at the Earthbender. “Are you ok?” Lin smiled and nodded slowly. 

“You just seem happy. I haven’t seen you really smile in a while,” she murmured, kissing Kya’s temple. She felt the Waterbender loosen in her grasp and exhale softly, resting her forehead on Lin’s chest for a moment with her arms around the Earthbender. 

“Did you eat anything today? Mom is working on dinner but I can get you something before if you’re hungry.” Lin shook her head.

“It’s alright. Someone ordered lunch at the station so I had a bite there. What about you?” she hadn't said anything, but Lin had noticed the lack of appetite Kya had developed in the last month. The Waterbender nodded.

“Mom made sure I ate,” She pulled away from Lin, taking her hand as excitement filled her gaze again. “Now, you need to come to meet Jinora,” she insisted, practically dragging Lin to the Air Temple. 

“Are you sure about this Kya? My relationship with Tenzin and Pema isn’t the best. Do they even want me to meet their baby?” She truly wasn’t sure if they would want her thereafter the history all of them had. Kya scoffed, still tugging excitedly at Lin’s hand. 

“Of course they want you to meet her! Sure, your history may be rocky but both Pema and Tenzin love you and want you to meet her.” Lin still wasn’t sure, but she picked up the pace for Kya’s sake. She now walked beside her partner, who prodded her hip jokingly. 

“Hey, since we're dating you're practically her aunt!” she joked, causing Lin to arch her eyebrows. 

“Noone is calling me aunt.” she insisted firmly. Kya only rolled her eyes with a grin. 

“I think Su’s kids would beg to differ.” Lin opened her mouth to argue but clenched her jaw when she realized that Kya was right. She seemed to forget that she had more family now that Su had started her army of children. 

After winding through the Temple hallways, they made it to Tenzin and Pema’s room. Kya slid the door open slightly and poked her head inside. Lin could hear the faint gurgling and cooing that could only come from a baby. She wasn’t sure why, but she started to feel anxiety climbing in her throat. 

“Can we come in?” Kya’s voice became a faint whisper before she pulled Lin into the softly lit room. Lin felt her palms grow sweaty as a lump formed in her throat. 

Pema lye in the bed surrounded by pillows and blankets. She seemed tired, but she smiled with a warm glow. Tenzin looked worse for wear as though he hadn’t slept for the past few nights worrying about the arrival of his daughter. He stood beside his wife and took the small bundle from her arms. Lin hasn’t noticed the baby till now. Kya still held her hand and her grip tightened from excitement. 

Slowly, Tenzin approached the two women, his gaze filled with a new softness that Lin had never seen before. She felt her whole body tense up as he approached her, Kya clinging to her arm. Lin locked eyes with Tenzin, giving him a small smile. He moved as though he was going to hand her the baby. Lin’s body reacted by teetering backward slightly and she watched as he stopped and turned to Kya instead.

Her partner enthusiastically took her niece into her arms. She seemed so natural, knowing exactly how to comfortably support her head and spine. Lin’s anxiety subsided for the most part as she gazed at her partner. Kya bounced the bundle in her arms, whispering, and cooing to the newborn. Lin’s attention turned to Tenzin who now stood beside her. She firmly patted his arm with a small smile. 

He seemed to understand that as her congrats and nodded in response. It wasn’t like Lin and Tenzin hadn’t spoken since they broke up years ago. Their lives would always be intertwined whether they liked it or not. They just weren't as buddy-buddy as they were as children. Now, they had reached a comfortable understanding between them. 

Kya approached Lin, Jinora snuggled in her arms. Kya leaned against Lin’s arm with a satisfied smile. Since she was less than a day old, Jinora hadn’t developed any really defining features other than the dark brown hair that fluffed atop her head. She had fallen asleep in Kya’s arms now, twitching slightly. 

“She’s lovely, isn’t she?” Kya cooed, sighing as she rested her head on Lin’s shoulder. She turned to look up at her partner. “Do you wanna hold her?” she asked. Lin wasn’t exactly sure how to respond. Was it rude not to hold a new baby? Would she offend Tenzin and Pema if she didn't? She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted. 

“It's fine if you don’t want to Lin,” Pema’s tired voice said from the bed. She smiled understandingly at the Earthbender, who nodded with slight embarrassment. Kya laughed lightly and returned the baby to her mother and father. Lin watched as the family of three huddled around each other in their bubble of pure joy. A part of her wondered what her life would have been like if she had followed that path. She was shaken from the thought as her partner's warm fingers entwined with her own. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin heard Kya collapse into their couch as they returned home, a long and exaggerated sigh escaping her lips. Lin bent off her armor, letting it sit beside her door before settling down next to her. Kya crawled into her lap, resting her head on Lin’s thighs so that the Earthbender could undo and mess with her hair. She watched as a small, satisfied smile crept into Kya’s lips as she ran her fingers through the Waterbender’s tangled brown hair. 

“Did you take that week off?” Kya had her eyes closed but opened them slightly so that she could gauge Lin’s response to the question. The Earthbended nodded.

“I couldn’t get all of next week off, but I’m all yours starting Thursday,” she murmured. 

“How long do I have you to myself?” She teased, her smile becoming a slight grin. 

“I took off Thursday all the way through the next week and I go back the following Monday,” she explained. Kya arched her eyebrows, clearly surprised. 

“You didn’t have to take that long off for me,” she murmured, averting her gaze. She sounded slightly guilty, clasping her hands together and fidgeting with her thumbs. 

“I wanted to. I’ve missed you.” she murmured, leaning down and kissing the corner of Kya’s lips. She felt a soft breath against her lips. 

“I've missed you too,” she murmured, turning Lin’s chin with a finger and kissing her lips. Despite being together for a few years now, Lin couldn’t help but feel surprised whenever they kissed. It always felt like the first time, just as exciting and new. They stayed quiet for a moment, gazing into each other's eyes for as long as they could. 

“You seemed more like yourself today,” Lin murmured. Kya slightly nodded. She didn't exactly smile, but she didn't frown either. 

“Jinora was a good distraction from it all,” she murmured, shifting slightly in Lin’s lap. The Earthbender nodded. “Things didn’t feel so dark, you know?”

“Yeah, I get that.” she murmured. They stayed quiet again before Lin started to think out loud again. 

“Did you ever think you'd have kids by now?” Kya seemed to wordlessly ponder the question for a moment before shrugging. 

“At some point. I think most girls imagine having kids by the time their 30, so I probably did too,” she didn't seem pressed by the question, answering it casually before grinning. 

“Why? Do you wanna get me knocked up?” Lin’s reaction was slightly delayed, but her face turned bright red and she shoved Kya’s shoulder. She stammered for a moment before she could gather her thoughts, Kya laughing hysterically the whole time. 

“No! That's not what I meant- I was just-” she stopped when Kya sat up, shifting so she was now sitting in Lin’s lap. “You know what I meant. And you know I physically couldn’t do that even if I wanted to,” she grumbled. Kya still laughed at her, but it was now that soft, throaty, attractive laugh that Lin couldn’t help enjoy. She felt the Waterbender touch her cheek, kissing the corner of her lips. 

“I’m only teasing. Although I would look adorable with a baby bump,” she joked, resting her head in the crook of Lin’s neck. She couldn’t ignore the thought of Kya being all maternal with a swollen baby belly, and the idea brought a small smile to her face, even if she didn’t really want to admit it.

“You're already adorable,” she sighed instead, letting her cheek rest against Kya’s forehead. They eventually let sleep envelop them, not bothering to move from their spot on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came out much longer than I intended, but it was really interesting to write.
> 
> I felt so bad killing Aang before he got the chance to meet Jinora, but I wanted it to be a situation where one life is lost and another fills in that space if that makes sense. But Aang is definitely watching over his family from the spirit world and through Korra when she is brought into the story. 
> 
> I don’t plan to have Kya and Lin have any of their own kids in this fic, although I think they would both make great moms. For now, they are just the funky lesbian aunts that we all want. I also think Kya is the type to get baby fever and jokingly ask Lin for a baby just to get her flustered.


	12. Holy Matrimony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin takes some time off from work to take care of Kya and give her the attention she hasn’t been giving herself since the passing of Aang. They spend some much needed quiet time together while thinking about where their relationship should go...

Kya heard the click of the front door lock as Lin returned home a few hours earlier than expected. The Waterbender’s eyes flew open and she stoped her meditation on the bedroom floor, hurrying into the front room. A feeling of dread and panic bubbling in her stomach. Lin only ever came home early when an injury forced her too. 

Entering the living room, she found Lin bending off her armor and putting it in the small hall closet. The Earthbender smiled in her direction, lips parting for either a compliment or a sarcastic remark, but it quickly faded when she noticed the worry set in Kya’s expression. There didn’t seem to be any visible blood and she seemed fine, which somehow unnerved the Waterbender more. 

“Hey, you ok? You look like you just saw a ghost,” Lin furrowed her brow as Kya approached her, wrapping her arms around her partner. Kya quickly did a once over, checking her up and down for injuries. Lin seemed confused, but once Kya was satisfied she relaxed. 

“What are you doing home so early? I thought you might be hurt,” she murmured, squeezing Lin a little tighter. Lin’s worried expression softened with understanding and she smiled again. 

“I took the rest of this week and last week off, remember?” she murmured, placing a quick peck on Kya’s soft lips. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” she added. Kya’s eyebrows raised, having completely forgotten about their week alone together. She smiled but felt an uncomfortable feeling of guilt bubble in her chest. She had completely forgotten about Lin’s time off and had no idea what they were going to do. 

“I guess with work I forgot about that,” she said, removing herself from Lin and settling into the couch. Lin sat next to her, only for Kya to practically climb into her lap. Lin smiled down at her partner, resting her elbow on the armrest with a long sigh. 

“So, what do you want to do while I’m off?” Lin asked. Kya felt the way Lin pet her hair, flingers gently twisting around in a sea of soft brown. The Earthbender began to massage her scalp gently, causing Kya to close her eyes and smile with a long, satisfied exhale forming on her lips. 

“I think there was a new Firenation inspired restaurant that opened last month. We could check that out. We could maybe catch a pro-bending match if tickets are available, or we could visit my family, see how Tenzin and Pema are handling being new parents,” she opened an eye slightly and smirked when Lin unconsciously wrinkle her nose at the thought of visiting the new baby. 

“We can do whatever you want,” Lin murmured. Kya closed her eyes again, snuggling into Lin’s lap. She folded her hands on her belly and tried to think of more things they could do. She silently grew frustrated when she turned up empty.

“You said that you took off next week, right?” Lin made a small sound that said yes to Kya’s question, her fingers still messaging her partner’s scalp. Kya’s eyebrows raised, still surprised that Lin had taken that much time off in the first place. 

“That seems like a long time for you, chief. Are you sure you can be gone that long?” She murmured. Part of her began to feel guilty that she was keeping Lin from work. Even though Lin definitely overworked herself and could take more breaks, she loved the hustle and bustle of her job. Now she had taken all of this time off for Kya, and she had no idea what they could do. Lin’s fingers stopped and she trailed down to Kya’s cheek, brushing her thumb along the curve of her cheekbone. 

“Kya, you need me right now, even if you’re going to be stubborn and not admit it. I want to take time off for you because I love you, ok? Stop overthinking.” her voice saw soft but still stern. Kya sighed heavily and sat up, spinning herself around so that she was sat on her knees and facing Lin on the couch, a concerned look still wrinkling her forehead. 

“I know, I know. I can’t help it though. If I’m being honest, I forgot and have nothing planned. I should have planned something,” She sighed in exasperation, frustrated that she didn’t have more activities coming to mind. “You don’t do this often and I should have planned better,” she grumbled, looking down at the balled fists in her lap. She watched as Lin’s pale palms took her hands, loosening her fists and entwining their fingers. 

“Hey, it’s alright. We don’t have to do anything extravagant while I’m off. I really just want to take care of you for a while because you take care of me all the time.” she explained, dipping her head in an attempt to meet Kya’s turned-down gaze. “You haven’t been yourself in months, but it’s understandable. I want to take care of you and be present for you, alright?” Kya sighed heavily and practically fell into Lin’s embrace, kissing her shoulder with a small nod. After a moment of drawn-out silence, the Waterbender formed a small smile. 

“Does that mean we can finally have lazy mornings?” Kya hummed, gazing up at Lin with a puppy dog look that she knew her partner couldn’t say no to. Lin arched her eyebrows and smiled wide. She wrapped her arm over Kya’s shoulder so that the Waterbender could get closer. 

“We can definitely have lazy mornings,” she murmured, kissing to top of Kya’s head. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kya could feel how she was drifting between being awake and asleep as sunlight managed to creep through her closed eyelids. She grunted, her sleepy mind wanting the light to go away as she buried herself under the warm blanket again. She stretched her toes out too far and they were met with chilly winter air. She bunched up again with a shiver but squinted her eyes open when she heard a soft laugh.

Rubbing her eyes and poking her head out from the comforter she was meat with Lin’s brilliant green gaze, sparkling in the morning light that crept its way into the bedroom. The Waterbender reached her hand out, her fingers clumsily making contact with the corner of Lin’s mouth, shoving her slightly. This only made her partner laugh more. She leaned forward, practically pulling Kya’s face out of the blanket to kiss the sleepy Waterbender’s lips. 

“Morning, pretty…” was all Kya could say between morning kisses. She climbed partly out of her cocoon of blankets to get closer. Lin practical radiated with heat in the cold room and when their bodies made comfortable contact Kya groaned in satisfaction, exposed skin mingling in morning warmth. 

“Do you want me to make coffee?” Lin asked, pressing another kiss to Kya’s forehead. Her voice had that tired hoarseness in it that Kya longed to hear every day, but missed out on with Lin’s early schedule. The Waterbender shook her head and nuzzled into Lin’s shoulder. 

“Yes, but not now... few more minutes,” she mumbled, quickly drifting in and out of sleep as she tried to wake up. She felt gently laughter bubble in Lin’s chest and she couldn’t hold back her small smile. “What time is it anyway?” she murmured, finally opening her eyes. 

“Just after ten,” Kya arched an eyebrow, making a playfully surprised expression that Lin couldn’t help but scoff at.

“When did you wake up?” Kya propped herself up on her elbow, a pillow tucked comfortably under her chest. 

“Not sure. Around seven I think,” Kya raised her eyebrows. 

“And you’ve been in bed the whole time too?” Kya asked jokingly as Lin rolled her eyes. 

“I thought about doing some paperwork, but you seemed so comfortable and you said you wanted a lazy morning, so yes. I’ve been here the whole time,” she sighed, a rose color-forming in her cheeks as she averted her gaze. 

“Awww! I think Lin Beifong loves me,” Kya cooed in a disgusting baby voice that only embarrassed Lin more as she poked at Lin’s scared cheek with a finger. “And shes a creepy weirdo that watches me sleep,” The Earthbender scoffed and rolled her eyes, shoving Kya’s hand away. 

“How did I fall for such a dumbass?” Lin grumbled as she tried to sound mean, but she couldn’t help the smile that formed on her lips. 

“No, I get it. I mean, you fell for Tenzin, and he’s about as dumb as they get,” Lin rolled her eyes as she now got out of bed, going to put a top and shorts on so that she could make coffee. The Waterbender turned around to watch, her feet now resting on the pillows behind her. She admired how sculpted Lin’s mussels were, and the way they seemed to ripple under her pale skin.

Kya rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin up with her hands. She crossed her legs and swung them back and forth like she was a teenage girl again at a sleepover. She had slept with only a pair of underwear on and now had a corner of the comforter covering her bottom and torso, but she could tell Lin was trying to avoid staring at her exposed breasts that sat comfortably between her elbows. 

“See something you like, chef?” Kya purred with a suggestive arch of her eyebrows. “Cause I definitely do,” She added with a wink. She laughed at the way Lin’s cheeks began to burn. 

She watched the Earthbender finish dressing and right as she turned around, Kya deceased to roll over to her back. She faked a long stretch and added yawn, peeking out with one eye to see if Lin was watching. To her delight, the Earthbender seemed frozen, not knowing exactly what she should do, but that only lasted a moment. 

Lin leaned over the end of the bed and kissed an upsidedown Kya, moving from her forehead to her lips, then trailing down her jawline to her collarbone. Kya practically purred at every touch, pulling her knees into her chest as she grinned the entire time, thinking she’d won. Lin now moved downward above her, kissing the space between her breast before moving up to her lips again, a hand placed on either side of Kya’s face. 

“I would love to ravish you all morning my love,” Kya grinned and nodded in agreement before she could finish, “but coffee first,” she breathed in the space between them. Kya parted her lips in an attempt to argue, but Lin had pulled away again, leaving Kya to pout before chasing Lin into the kitchen. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later in the afternoon, both women had gotten comfortable on the couch together. Lin leaned her back on the armrest with Kya propped up between her thighs. The Waterbender was flipping through an old photo album from when Lin was a child as her partner messed with her let down hair. 

“You're hair is really nice. Did you use that conditioner that I like?” Lin asked as she braided a section of the Waterbenders hair. Kya nodded with a small smirk, glancing up from the photo album. She always loved it when Lin would braid her hair. She used to ask all the time when they were children, and eventually when they had gotten comfortable in their friendship, she would begin braiding without anyone questioning it. 

Flipping through the album she found a photo where Lin had to be around 12. She had an angry expression and was buried under a mountain of sand at a beach. A 9-year-old Suyin gave a thumbs up with a gappy smile from losing teeth and was on the verge of laughter over what she had done to her older sister. 

“Didn’t my mother take this one?” Kya asked, holding up the album to point to the picture. Lin stopped her braiding and squinted, trying to recall. 

“I think she did. Wasn’t that from that trip where Uncle Zuko took us to Ember Island?” Kya nodded. 

“Pretty sure I spent that trip running around with some Firenation girl.” Kya chuckled as she tried to recall. She would have been about 14 at the time, and that was when she would have realized her attraction to women. Lin raised an eyebrow, finishing the braid she had been working on and moving onto the other sections she still had left in Kya’s hair.

“Oh don’t give me that look. You had Tenzin all over you back then,” she mused, smiling as Lin scoffed at her. 

"I didn’t give any look.” The Earthbender stubbornly muttered. They both got quiet for a long while, Kya still flipping through the album. She eventually got to photos from Suki and Sokka’s wedding. They had been together forever at that point and never got around to tying the knot. Suki’s argument was always that they planned to be together anyway, so why was there a point in having a huge party, but Sokka eventually wore her down and the wedding happened. 

“Lin, I’ve got a question?” Kya murmured, running her finger over Suki’s dress in the photo. It was a simple dress, but it was white and seemed to capture her perfectly. She had a betrothal necklace around her neck made by Uncle Sokka. She remembered how frustrated he had gotten when he was making it, but it turned out perfectly. 

“What’s on your mind love?” Lin seemed to hum as she undid the braids in Kya’s hair just so that she could braid them again. 

“Do you think we would ever get married?” Kya felt Lin’s stop what she was doing and tense her mussels, clearly shocked by the question. Kya turned her head up, laying the album on her chest. Lin’s mouth opened and closed like she was trying to formulate an answer. Kya adjusted herself between Lin’s legs, putting the book on the floor and moving to an upright position. 

“You’re joking, right?” Kya took Lin’s hands into her own with a soft smile and a shrug. 

“I don’t know. I’m just speculating,” she said before meeting Lin’s gaze with a sweet smile. “But would you marry me?” she asked, squeezing Lin’s hands in her own. Lin stared into her eyes and the Waterbender wanted nothing more than to know what was going through her beautiful brain.

“What, were you planning on breaking up with me, Beifong?” she laughed before Lin smiled herself and let out a long sigh, rolling her eyes. 

“If that’s what you wanted, I think I would,” She murmured. Kya was honestly surprised by that response since she had only been teasing before. But the more she thought about it, she realized she didn’t want to let Lin go. She didn’t want to live her life without Lin by her side. 

“Well, why don’t we take a trip to the courthouse as our activity for tomorrow?” She murmured suggestively, planting a long, soft kiss on Lin’s lips. She pulled back, leaving a small space between them as she smiled. Lin still seemed surprised by this idea, but she wasn’t going to reject it.

“You wouldn’t want to have a ceremony with your family?” Lin whispered, squeezing Kya’s hand. The Waterbended thought before shaking her head. 

“I’d rather just be with you then have a huge party,” she whispered sweetly, tracing the curve of Lin’s lips with her pointer finger. “Plus it would be more fun to surprise them all,” She grinned with that mischievous glint in her eye and Lin raised an eyebrow.

“Are you saying you want to get married just to play a prank on your family?” The Earthbender couldn’t help but smile as she possessively wrapped an arm around Kya’s waist, pulling her closer. 

“No, but think of it more as an added bonus,” She purred before pressing against Lin again, humming in between kisses. She sat in the Earthbender’s lap now, curling a strand of black hair around her finger. “I guess we need to dress nice tomorrow,” she added, Lin nodding in response with a dumb grin. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You really don’t think this counts as eloping?” Lin called from the front room as Kya packed her final bag in the bedroom. 

“Well, yes and no. Eloping is running away to get married. Technically, we already did the get married part,” Kya yelled into the other room as she folded up another blue dress into her bag. She felt strong arms wrap around her waist from behind and she tensed for a moment. She instantly relaxed when she felt warm breath and a pair of lips on her shoulder. 

“You always forget I don’t have that sixth sense like you do,” She mumbled with a small laugh. Lin hummed into her neck and nuzzled her shoulder. 

“Sorry, I just missed you,” She murmured, her voice muffled by Kya’s shoulder. The Waterbender turned slightly, kissing her partner’s forehead and placing a hand on her cheek. 

“Just give me a few more minutes and we can head out, alright?” she laughed as she pulled herself away from Lin’s grip so that she could finish packing. “Did you call off work for the next couple of weeks?” Lin laughed in response, leaning against the bedroom doorway as she waited for Kya to finish. 

“They asked me if I was dying or in a hostage situation when I told them,” Kya raised her eyebrows and smiled with a small shrug. She zipped up the bag on the bed and approaching Lin. She slipped her arms around the Earthbenders waist, kissing her softly. 

“The only hostage situation is that you're now my wife for the rest of time,” she murmured between kisses. Lin nodded in agreement, brushing her knuckles against Kya’s cheek with admiration. 

“I’m ok with that though,” Lin smiled as she spoke before kissing the woman before her, who she could now consider her wife. 

“I’m ok with that too,” Kya echoed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really fun and I just wanted to write some soft stuff. The next chapter will be full of some traveling and maybe a trip to Zoufu? I've wanted to write some sister content for a hot minute.


	13. Rock and a Hard Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week off becomes a much longer break when Lin and Kya go on a spur of the moment retreat to celebrate their very even more spur of the moment union. The married couple ends their trip off with a few family visits before returning home...

“Ok, we have one more stop planned before heading home, so no dawdling this morning, alright?” Kya’s voice sang from the inn room’s kitchen. They had stopped in a small Earth kingdom town for the night before continuing their travels. The sent of breakfast and coffee drove Lin to get up, but the warmth of the bed kept her in place. 

“Kya, come back to bed…” she complained. Her Partner laughed in response before the sound of shuffling feet followed. 

“Who knew that you’d become so keen on lazy mornings?” Kya called back. From the kitchen, Lin could hear the clicking of dishes and silverware, as well as coffee, poured into a mug. 

The mattress eventually swayed under Kya’s weight as she settled back into bed, a plate of breakfast in her hand, and a coffee mug beside her on the bedside table. Lin sat herself up, cold air causing goosebumps to form on her bare shoulders. 

“Being around you has made me lazy,” she grumbled, reaching for a biscuit on Kya’s plate. Her partner gave her a dirty look in protest, rolling her eyes when Lin smugly smiled. “So, what's our last spot before we can go back home?” Lin asked, sitting up more as Kya passed her the coffee mug.

“We’re visiting Suyin and her family for a night,” she stated bluntly, taking the coffee mug back for a sip. Lin bunched her eyebrows in an annoyed glare. “Don’t give me that look! It’s a day and a half, you can do that.” she insisted. Lin sighed heavily, leaning into Kya’s shoulder. 

“Why did we get married again?” she mumbled. Kya shoved her and rolled her eyes, taking a final bite of her breakfast. 

“We got married because you agreed when I asked, and you're completely smitten with me.” she mused, kissing Lin’s grumpy face. She got up, leaving Lin in the bed with a cup of coffee. “Now, up and at em chief! We have traveling and family bonding to d-” she screamed when Lin grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back onto the bed. 

“What if we stayed here and had morning sex instead?” Lin asked suggestively, roughly kissing Kya’s jawline. Kya made a satisfying sound, causing Lin to think she’d won before the Waterbender flipped her over and kissed her passionately. Lin let her partner press into her before she pulled away with a breathless smile, leaving a hair length space between them. 

“We can do that when we get home,” she said smugly, knowing exactly what she had done. She pushed away from Lin, escaping into the kitchen to pack for their last few days of travel. Lin was left breathless on the bed with a flustered yet confused expression before sitting up with a loud groan of protest. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walking the streets of Zaofu was an interesting experience. Lin had heard stories and seen photos of her mother's city, but she'd never made the journey there for obvious reasons. Kya pulled Lin along, guiding her to her sister's doorstep. 

Lin wondered how Kya had convinced her to do this and she wanted to be annoyed with her partner for it, but whenever she caught a glimpse of Kya’s smile she couldn’t help melt.

The Earthbender would never openly admit it, but she had missed having the sibling relationship with Suyin that they had in their youth. They had been so close as children, but time seemed to change them both. 

“Not far now. Su said the guards would know to let us in, so we shouldn’t have any problems.” Kya chirped, pulling Lin out of her head. 

“How long have the two of you been talking?” Lin inquired. Kya thought about it as she walked, having slowed down to a relaxed stride. 

“I think since the last time I saw her, which would have been before dad passed and right before we officially became a thing.” she bumped her hip into Lin’s in a joking manner, squeezing Lin’s hand in hers. 

“And what does Su know about our relationship?” Kya seemed slightly worried by the question.

“I didn’t directly tell her anything, but she quickly figured it out herself. I think she noticed how much I talked about you. Sorry about that,” Kya seemed slightly worried that Su knowing would upset Lin. The Earthbender shook her head with a slightly forced smile. 

“It’s alright. Su was always a smart kid,” she sighed, her gaze wandering to the huge castle-like house that they were approaching. 

“You nervous?” Kya whispered in her ear as they approached the gates, which swung open with ease when the guards realized who they were. A well-dressed woman approached them as they entered the house and gestured that she would take them to where they were meeting Su. Lin shrugged, trying to seem unphased. 

“I’m not sure,” she sighed, turning her attention to Kya’s bright blue gaze. “I’m doing this for you, you know that. I’d much rather be doing something else...” She grumbled suggestively, referring to earlier in the morning. Kya smiled and quickly kissed her in thanks. 

“You’ll thank me for it later though,” Lin furrowed her brow to argue before Kya pulled away. They were guided into an office-like room that was filled with books and maps. A woman dressed in a long green dress with silver accents stood at a desk, her back turned to the couple that entered. When the door clicked open, she turned around with a wide smile. 

“It's so good to see you, hun!” Kya spoke. She had run-up to the other woman and dropped her bag by the desk before wrapping her into a warm embrace filled with laughter from the two of them. Lin lingered back, taking in the woman hugging her wife. 

It was strange to know that this was her little sister, Suyin, just all grown up. Whenever Lin had thought of Su, she could only imagine her at 15, yet here she was now at 24. She had grown into her looks and was doing well for herself now. Kya kissed Su’s cheek affectionately before pulling away from their hug.

“You never mentioned this new addition in any letters,” Kya joked. Lin wasn’t sure who her wife could be referring to, but realization filled her gaze when she looked Su up and down again. Kya had been obstructing her view before, but she could now tell that Su was currently pregnant again. 

“Additions. We have reason to believe that its twins,” Su explained through laughter. Her voice was gentle but still seemed to hold the same youthfulness that Lin always remembered. 

Her gaze connected with Su’s and she watched as her sister’s green eye flashed with a feeling of joy and sadness. The Earthbender rubbed sweaty palms against her pants in an attempt to relieve some of the anxiety that itched at her throat. 

“Hello, Lin,” Su stated with a soft smile. She approached her older sister, opening her arms to ask for a hug. Lin awkwardly gave it to her, meeting Kya’s gaze over Su’s shoulder. 

Her wife gave her a reassuring smile with a thumbs up. Lin exhaled sharply with a laugh on the tip of her tongue before wrapping her arms around her sister a little more. Su pulled away from the embrace, her hands on either side of Lin’s shoulders. Her gaze was soft and her eyes looked wet with tears, her expression kind and filled with compassion. 

“I have so much I want- need to tell you,” she murmured with a breathless laugh. Till now, Lin had expected to feel a fit of bubbling anger when seeing her sister. She had always felt anger when remembering Suyin. That was why she had stayed away for so long, but it the moment she only wanted to reach an understanding. 

“Yeah, I think I do too…” Lin murmured, forcing a small smile. Su nodded and pat her shoulder before turning towards Kya. 

“Feel free to leave your bags here. I’ll have someone take them to your room for you while we all catch up. The children are in the garden, so I thought we could talk there, maybe have tea and a bite to eat?” She asked, turning between Kya and Lin to gauge both of their reactions. 

She held her hands under her swollen belly as though it would fall off if she wasn’t holding onto it. Kya approached Lin, wrapping her grip around her partner's arm once she had taken her bag off. 

“I think that sounds lovely. You never got to show me the garden last time I was here,” Kya began walking alongside Su, pulling Lin’s arm so that she had no choice but to follow. The conversation went on as they walked towards the garden, but Lin didn’t pay much attention. Her gaze fell on the vast windows that lined the hallway, overlooking the gardens and city below them. 

Everything had an almost unrealistic sheen to it like it was taken out of a drawing. It was nothing like Republic City, which seemed dusty in comparison to this. The metal that made up Zaofu had a green reflection to it due to the grassy mountain valley it had been built-in. 

Lin had to squint as the sunlight hit her eyes when entering the garden. Su brought them over to a shaded table that already had tea and snacks being set out by a few servants. She managed to settle herself down, declining Kya’s eager hand to help her. Su gestured for them to join her and opened her mouth to speak before a small yet loud voice interrupted her. 

“Mom, Kuvira’s cheating again!” The small boy cried. A little girl ran up after, shoving into the boy with his shoulder. They both had to be around 6. batted at each other with tiny hands 

“Did not! You’re just bad at playing!” she cried out. Lin simply watched with an arched eyebrow. Su closed her eyes and exhaled for a moment before turning to the children. Lin caught Kya stifling a laugh as she waterbent three cups of tea for them. 

“Can you two please play nice? Mommy has visitors and can’t referee you two all day,” she sounded tired as she tried to calm down her squabbling children. The girl noticed Lin and Kya and stared at them with wide eyes. 

“You're a Waterbender!” she practically screamed, pointing at Kya. Kya blinked with wide eyes before smiling. 

“Kovira, you can’t yell at people about their bending, it’s rude,” Su tried correcting. The girl didn’t seem to pay attention and ran up to Kya to inspect her. 

“It’s alright Su, she’s just curious,” Kya waved a hand before turning to the girl. The young boy joined her to inspect the Waterbender. Lin noticed the familiar, mischievous glint that formed in Kya’s smile.

“Want me to show you what I can do?” she asked with a grin. Both children cheered with excitement and pulled Kya to her feet, taking her to a fountain on the far side of the garden.

“You don’t have to Kya, really,” Su called, but it was much too late. Kya had already been dragged to the fountain and was now impressing the children with all kinds of Waterbending. Lin smiled and leaned back in her seat, taking the cup of tea that Kya had abandoned before sighing heavily. 

“She’s more than happy to keep children out of their mother’s hair. She’s a child herself most of the time,” The Earthbender murmured, watching her wife as she was chased by the two kids. Su turned, taking a sip from her cup before speaking. 

“Lin, let me just start by saying I’m sorry for everything. I had time to think about it so much when I went away, and I understand my mistakes. You were just looking out for me when others weren’t, and I treated you horribly. I understand if you can’t forgive me,” she explained. She didn’t meet Lin’s gaze as she spoke. She rather timidly ran a finger along the rim of her teacup. Lin stayed quiet before letting go of a long breath. 

“It’s alright. You were a kid. Kids aren’t supposed to listen. I don’t want to hold a grudge forever, so let's just move on,” She said with a shrug, taking another sip of her tea. She had to admit, she surprised herself with how casual she was in the moment. Su seemed surprised as well. She heard Su make a sound of the agreement before releasing a heavy sigh. 

“Still, I also need to apologize for that…” her voice seemed to linger as her gaze locked on Lin’s scar. Lin hadn’t noticed before, but her sister hadn’t directly looked at it till just then. 

Her green gaze was filled with a mix of frustration and sorrow, her mouth shifted to the left in a small front like she was biting the inside of her cheek. Lin brushed her knuckles against the scar, staying quiet before exhaling a breath and smiling. 

“It’s alright. It was a lesson. Shortly after we improved the cables so that they hopefully can’t do that again,” Su’s expression didn’t seem to waver, despite the small sound she made. Lin stayed still, not sure what to do. She decided to reach out her hand, gently taking Su’s grip into her own. When their fingers touched, Su met her gaze again. 

“Really, it’s alright,” she said reassuringly. Su stayed still before she nodded, a small tear dripping down her cheek. She eventually smiled softly with a breathy laugh, squeezing Lin’s hand. 

“You seem like you’ve been doing well from what Kya says in her letters. Congrats on making Cheif.” Su said, sipping her tea. Her gaze darted back to the kids and Kya, checking that no one was hurt. 

“Yeah, I got the promotion when mom retired. It was shortly after Aang passed.” Su turned back to her and nodded, taking a biscuit off of the tray in front of them. 

“I was sorry to hear about that. I wanted to come to the funeral, but traveling with children is nearly impossible.” Su explained. 

“It was a nice ceremony. We were there when he passed. Kya’s taken it pretty hard the last few months….” she murmured, watching as her wife ran around a bush, the children laughing and chasing after her. “Tenzin and Pema had their daughter shortly after though, so that's been a light for her recently. She loves that kid,” Lin smiled with a small chuckle. 

“How long have you been together?” Su asked, referring to her relationship between Lin and Kya. 

“We were kind of an unspoken thing for about three years, but we really dove in headfirst a couple of months ago. We got married a few weeks ago,” Lin said with a small smile. Su had been taking a sip of her tea and coughed when Lin stated they were married. A flash of hurt filled her gaze but she smiled. 

“That’s very surprising, but wonderful news.” she murmured. Lin frowned slightly. 

“It was nothing personal. We haven’t told Kya’s family about it yet. You’re the first family to know about it.” Lin explained. Su’s eyebrows raised and a flush filled her cheeks, the hurt turning into something softer. 

“Oh, well that's sweet…” she murmured, looking down at her cup again. Kya ran out from behind a bush, faking like she was hurt as she children “defeated her” in whatever game they were playing. Lin couldn’t help but laugh at her wife’s terrible acting. Su had a similar reaction. 

“Do you think the two of you will have any kids of your own?” Su asked, refilling her teacup. Lin felt her cheeks flush at the question. 

“We can’t do that the same way you clearly can-” she gestured to Su’s belly and her sister burst out laughing, nearly spilling her tea. 

“Well obviously, but there are other ways,” she insisted, rolling her eyes. Lin smiled slightly and rolled her eyes before shaking her head.

“No, I don’t think so. Kya asks sometimes but I know she means it as a joke. She loves kids and if I wanted them we probably would, but with my job, I can’t do that. I already have to be safe for her. I can’t add a kid into the mix, if you understand what I mean,” she explained. In a perfect world where Lin wasn’t risking her life every day, maybe they would have a kid, but that was too much to ask now. 

“I think she’s happy borrowing other people’s kids from time to time.” Su nodded at her response, taking another sip of her tea. 

“Well, you can always borrow any of mine. They can be a handful, mind you, but I love them,” she sighed. Su noticed the affectionate gaze Lin had, captivated by the way her wife was now Waterbending small animal-shaped bubbles around the excited children.

“What are their names? Kya told me you had three, but she never named them” Su seemed surprised at her interest, knowing Lin was never the biggest fan of children but smiled with a small nod. 

“Baatar junior is our firstborn, taking after my husband. Kovira is the same age as Baatar and we adopted her, and my youngest, Huan, is somewhere around here.” she paused thoughtfully before smiling. “He’s much quieter than the others. He always reminded me of you in that way.” Lin blinked back at her with a small smile.

“I’ll have to meet him later then,” she quipped. “You seem well off I should say,” She continued, referring to the city and Su’s family. Her sister nodded with a smile. 

“Thank you. I traveled for a while at 16 and eventually settled down with Baatar on this land to build mom’s city.” she shrugged. Lin was surprised to hear about her mother but tried her best not to show it much. “Do you keep in contact with mom?” Su asked, poring Lin another cup of tea. The Earthbender shook her head.

“No. I don’t think I’ve seen her since Aang’s funeral. Have you?” she asked. Su nodded. 

“She checks in now and then, but not regularly. I think she’s been traveling again, studying more bending forms.” Lin tried not to scoff at the fact that her mother had shoved all her work into Lin’s lap while she got to travel the world. Before she could say something bitter, Kya crashed down into the seat next to her, breathing heavily from running around with children. 

“Not as young as you thought, huh?” Lin mused, tucking a sweaty strand of hair from Kya’s forehead and kissing her cheek with a laugh on her lips. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin climbed into bed next to Kya, who clung to her almost instantly. 

“You know the bed here is bigger than what we have at home. You don’t have to be pressed up against me,” she mumbled, kissing the Waterbender’s forehead. 

“You’re like a personal heater, and I’m cold.” with that, Kya pressed her frozen feet against Lin’s legs. The Earthbender jokingly shoved her as a shiver ran up her spine. 

“How are you freezing? You visited the south pole for half your life?” she hissed as Kya laughed at her. They fell into a comfortable silence after getting wrapped up in each other, Lin gently petting Kya’s hair.

“Are you annoyed that I made you come here and talk to Su?” Kya murmured her voice heavy with sleep. Lin smiled with a soft breath and shook her head.

“I wanted to be annoyed, but I’m glad we came.” Kya made a satisfying sound as she nestled into Lin’s chest. “So thank you,” 

“Told you that you’d thank me later” Kya mumbled smugly. Lin paused, forgetting what she meant. Her memory caught up and she grumbled, rolling her eyes as Kya laughed with that attractive, throaty laugh that she used.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suyin has a special place in my heart so this chapter was fun to write. 
> 
> Lin definitely had a different reaction to Su here in comparison to the show, and part of me wanted to make her all grumpy and angry, but I think a younger Lin that had the influence from someone like Kya in her life would be more forgiving. Unlike the show, she didn't have all this time to sit and stew about how angry she was. Kya and Lin complement each other and bring out the best in their partner. I think that's one of the most important parts of a healthy relationship.
> 
> We'll be back I republic city with the Katang family next chapter!


	14. Newsflash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lovebirds return home after their getaway, and now they need to tell a very surprised family in Republic city, which is, of course, going to bring up some interesting questions...

They had come home by train into the city and despite wanting to go home, Lin and Kya made their way to the Airtemple ferry. Katara had insisted that they visit as soon as possible and Kya had missed Jinora, so she was antsy to see her niece again. 

“Do you think she missed me while we were gone?” Kya asked, intertwining her fingers with Lin’s as she borders the ferry. Lin was caught off guard by the question, her thoughts had wandered to other things.

“I’m sure Katarta always misses you when you're away,” Lin’s voice was thick and tired. The Earthbender had enjoyed her few weeks of traveling, but being back in the city reminded her how close they were to their apartment and their bed. Kya smirked and rolled her eyes, enjoying the sleepy smile that Lin had, even if it was a sight she had seen far too often due to Lin’s long work hours. 

“I meant Jinora,” Kya poked at Lin’s cheek in an attempt to get her wife’s attention. Lin gave her a confused look, as though Jinora missing her didn’t make sense.

“Kya, she’s a baby. I don’t think babies notice when people aren’t around or understand how time works,” Lin said bluntly, unconsciously wrinkling her nose. Kya frowned slightly when Lin didn't indulge her, causing the Earthbender to roll her eyes with an exaggerated sigh.

“But I’m sure she missed you anyway,” she mumbled, wrapping an arm around Kya’s shoulder. The Waterbender seemed satisfied, smiling again as she kissed her partner’s cheek. Kya gazed out at the bay that surrounded republic city. She always enjoyed the feeling of having water all around her. Her gaze shifted back to Lin, who was now stifling a yawn.

“Are you excited to tell my family?” Kya asked, resting her head on Lin’s shoulder as the ferry docked on the Airtemple’s shore. Lin could only shrug, blinking sleep from her eyes. 

“Yes, but would it disappoint you if I was more excited to go home and go to bed?” Kya snorted with laughter as she grinned, nodding her head. 

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. You look like you could fall asleep standing up,” The Waterbender teased, taking her partner’s hand again and leading her off of the ferry. 

“I feel like I could,” Lin mumbled, sighing loudly. Noone greeted them when they docked, so they headed into the family quarters. First checking the dining room, then the kitchen. Walking through the halls they eventually heard voices leading them to Katara’s garden. 

“Mom! We’re home!” Kya called, poking her head into the garden to find her mother and Tenzin waiting for them. Katara had been in the middle of talking with her son when Kya interrupted, but she joyfully dropped whatever her thought was to hug her daughter. 

“How are you darling?” Katara asked, holding her daughter’s cheeks in her hands and placing a firm kiss between her eyes. It was a gesture that Kya had received many times before, but she reveled in it every time. She smiled and kissed her mother's forehead before speaking. 

“We’re great, mom. It was smooth sailing the whole trip.” Katara nodded, patting her daughter's cheek lightly before turning to Lin. She opened up her arms, pulling the Earthbound into a similar hug. Whether Lin wanted it or not wasn’t up for debate, but she smiled anyway, patting Katara’s back.

“Did you enjoy yourself Lin, or is Kya trying to speak for the both of you?” she quipped. Kya rolled her eyes before hugging her brother. Lin smiled with a small exhale and nodded. 

“It was a nice break,” she stated simply. Katara kissed Lin’s cheek before letting her go. Tenzin gave Lin a respectful nod, which she returned. After a moment Kya noticed that someone was missing from the group, so she affectionately nudged her brother. 

“Where’s my niece?” Kya asked as she looked around the garden, the excitement sparkling in her gaze. As if on cue Pema appeared with Jinora in her arms. Kya rushed over and gratefully took the baby. 

“She missed her aunty Kya,” Pema laughed as Kya rushed towards her, hugging her with her free arm. Kya smiled and returned the gesture, kissing Pema quickly on the cheek in greeting before turning her full attention to Jinora, who laughed gleefully. 

“And we missed her too, didn’t we?” Kya cooed, peppering Jinora’s cheeks and nose with kisses. Pema sighed and smiled, enjoying the break from mother duty, even if it was a brief break. Katara gathered the small family together, sitting them down at a garden table for tea while they discussed Lin and Kya’s travels. Kya settled next to Lin, still holding the baby. 

“Say hi to Aunt Lin,” Kya cooed in a voice that was a few octaves higher than normal. Lin arched an eyebrow at her partner, clearly not as amused as Kya was. Jinora blew a few bubbles but didn’t make any other sound. Her dark gaze seemed fixated on Lin like she was trying to figure the other woman out as a bit of drool ran down her cheek.

“How was the trip? You both seem to like you had a lot of fun,” Pema piped up. She settled down next to Tenzin after helping Katara set up the tea. Kya Waterbent tea into cups, Jinora settled comfortably on her lap. 

“It was great! We stopped in the Firenation for a few days, then saw a bit of the Earth Kingdom before stoping in Zaofu,” Kya explained. The table seemed surprised at the mention of Zaofu, but they tried to hide it. Lin sipped her tea, not really sure what to say. 

“I’m hoping to get Lin to take another week when it gets warmer. We wanted to hit Ember Island but it was still too cold,” Kya continued. She sipped her tea with a free hand. 

“How is Su? I haven’t gotten around to seeing her lately,” Katara asked, looking to Kya for an answer.

“She’s doing well,” Lin piped up instead. “She got married and started a family in Zaofu.” she explained with a content look “Three kids and didn’t she say they were expecting twins?” She turned to Kya for an answer right as she took a bite out of a cookie Katara hand made. Kya thought about it for a moment before nodding, trying not to talk with her mouth full. Katara smiled and nodded, sipping her tea. 

“I’m not surprised that Su started a family. It’s good that she’s doing well. We never see much of her anymore.” 

“What were things like around here?” Kya asked, turning her attention on Tenzin, who had remained quiet. Jinora had gotten hold of a clump of her hair and was now tugging at it, but Kay didn’t seem to mind. 

“Normal for the most part,” he stated, scratching his chin as he thought of anything noteworthy. “I heard of a few triad busts but nothing more than that.” Lin nodded with interest, her mind starting to wander to work again. This had been the longest break she’d taken since starting at the force, and while she enjoyed her little getaway, she missed the action of working cases. Kya noticed the gears turning in Lin’s head and nudged her gently in the hip. 

“You can get into you’re working brain Monday. You still have the weekend to rest up after our adventure,” Kya teased. Jinora made a small sound and Kya laughed, “Jinora agrees with me,” She added. Lin rolled her eyes, taking another sip of her tea. 

There was a drawn-out pause in the conversation. Kya considered staying quiet, but eventually, the silence and their secret became too much. Under the table, she squeezed Lin’s thigh in an attempt to silently get her attention. Her partner made a surprised expression, assuming the gesture was meant to be teasing. Her features softened when she understood its actual intent, taking Kya’s hand in hers under the table and giving her a reassuring squeeze. 

“Are you two alright?” Pema interrupted the wordless interaction. “You both seem, " She paused as she pondered what she was trying to say "Off? I don’t think that I’m wording it right?” she mumbled, gesturing with her hand that she was struggling to verbalize her thoughts. Kya laughed nervously. She knew her family would be happy for them, but revealing that they had gotten married was a big deal. She couldn't help being a little anxious about it.

“Lin and I have a bit of a secret. We didn’t mention it before we left because we wanted to enjoy it by ourselves for a little while,” She murmured, her gaze drifting to the small smile that formed on her wife’s lips. She took a shaky breath before turning back to her family, squeezing Lin’s hand under the table. 

“We got married a few days before going on our trip,” she felt her chest tighten when it was out in the open, holding her breath as she waited for the reaction. Jinora had fallen asleep by now in her arms, so she had to be careful moving so that she didn’t disturb her.

Her family all seemed to have the same shocked reaction, jaws open as they weren't sure what to say in response to the news. She noticed a twinge of pain in Lin’s expression before realizing that she had been squeezing her hand too tight. She loosened her grip and shot Lin an apologetic look, but she felt her heart begin to beat faster with anticipation. Tenzin cleared his throat, breaking the silence. 

“That was not what I was expecting, but I’m happy for you both,” He started, giving his sister an approving nod. Pema finished processing the news and smiled beside him, nodding in agreement. Kya tried her best to smile, but something in her grew worried. She turned to her mother, hoping to be greeted with a warm, thrilled smile. Instead, Katara seemed lost in thought. 

“You're upset, aren't you?” Kya asked. Her voice had grown and she frowned. Her mother blinked and forced a smile, shaking her head as she placed a grip on Kya’s shoulder for reassurance. 

“No, I’m not upset.” Kya wasn’t convinced she was being honest and it seemed like Katara wasn’t either. “I’m just surprised is all. It seems very quick,” Katara murmured, not fully meeting anyone's gaze. Lin seemed to tense beside Kya and the Waterbender couldn’t help fear what her wife was about to say. 

“We’ve been ‘involved’ for over three years now before we said anything, and it just felt like the right step for us to take.” she gave Kya a reassuring smile, squeezing her hand again. The gesture wordlessly told her “It's all ok.” 

“I adore Kya, and I wouldn’t have married her if I had any second thoughts.” She continued with a firm yet relaxed confidence that Kya was lacking, but her partner's support caused her to get comfortable again.

“We talked about it first and made sure this was a step we both wanted to take. We couldn’t see our lives apart, and it just felt like the right direction to go,” Kya murmured, scooting her chair closer to Lin’s so she could lean against her partner. Her gaze was locked on her mother, trying to gauge what she was feeling. 

“I have no doubts that you love each other, and I am happy for you both.” Katara smiled, but Kya couldn't tell if it was a genuine, real smile. “I won't deny that I would have liked a heads up before though.” she sighed before smiling. “But I’m happy if you’re happy,” she finished.

Kya breathed out a relaxed laugh, feeling her heartbeat slow to a normal pace again. She felt Lin relax against her and the group became comfortable again. Katara waterbent herself another cup of tea, finishing the kettle. She stood, collecting the trey which was now empty of food and drink, turning her gaze to Lin before leaving. 

“Would you mind helping me in the kitchen Lin? It’ll only be a minute.” everyone, including Lin, seemed very confused by the request. Pema moved to get up but Katara rejected her with a simple shake of her head. “You aren't in any trouble, I just want to talk is all,” she explained. Her voice didn't shift in tone and remained sweet and calm, which unnerved Kya slightly. 

Getting up, Lin gave Kya a confused look, almost asking if she knew what was going on. Kya could only shrug and shake her head. She turned to her brother and his wife once they had left for the kitchen. 

“Should I be worried about her safety?” Kya shifted Jinora to her other arm, eyebrow raised at her brother as she asked about their mother. Tenzin could only shrug, turning to Pema for an answer. She shook her head, just as confused as everyone else. 

“She didn’t have any weird conversation before or after we got married,” Pema insisted, which only worried Kya more. Their mother had always been protective of her children, but never to an overbearing level. It was out of character for her to have the “If you hurt him/her so help me” talk with one of her children's partners. 

“But I don’t think it's anything to worry about.” Tenzin piped up, reaching across the table and gently squeezing Kya’s hand reassuringly. “And Kya? I’m sorry if we didn’t have the reaction you had hoped for. It was shocking at first, but we’re all so happy for you both,” Tenzin asserted her. Kya gave him a small smile. 

“Thanks, Tenzin. We knew it would be a shock. I didn’t think mom would look so disappointed...” she murmured, her gaze shifting to her knees. She could tell Tenzin and Pema shared a look, not really sure what to say. 

“I think she was just surprised. She likely imagined you would have a more 'traditional' union,” Tenzin tried to explain. Kya arched an eyebrow, questioning what her brother meant. His eyes widened when he realized his mistake. “I didn't mean anything about you being with a woman by saying traditional! I meant more along the lines of having a wedding!" He insisted quickly, his face hot with embarrassment. Kya eyed her brother but smiled, laughing at how ridiculous he looked. Pema shoved him in a teasing manner as Tenzin shrunk down. Kya's laughter gradually died down and she sighed again. 

“I know, but Lin and I didn’t want anything fancy. We just want each other,” she murmured.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After some time with only silence from the kitchen, Tenzin investigated the kitchen to make sure everything was alright. When he returned everything seemed normal. 

“They’re just finishing up. Mom said that you could meet Lin outside the Temple.” Kya raised an eyebrow slightly, not really convinced, but stood up anyway. She handed Jinora to Pema, kissing her sleeping niece once more before hugging Pema goodbye. 

“Did everything seem ok? Mom didn’t break my wife or anything?” Kya asked her brother as she approached him to say goodbye. He couldn’t help laughing lightly when Kya called Lin her wife. He embraced his sister and shook his head. 

“Everything seemed fine to me, but if you’re still worried you should ask your wife.” Kya made a muffled sound into Tenzin’s shoulder that was a cross between a scoff and a laugh 

“Thanks, airhead,” she mumbled, pulling away from the hug. Her brother smiled and rolled his eyes, kissing his sister’s forehead affectionately before she left. Kya made her way out of the air temple, waving goodbye to her brother and his little family as she went before meeting up with Lin outside like she had been instructed. She was treated with Lin's warm gaze. The sleepiness that she had before was still visible in her deminer, but she seemed more awake than before.

Kya's arms wrapped comfortably around her partner’s waist, fitting perfectly with her frame as though her arms had been specially made for Lin’s hips. She felt Lin’s knuckled brush lightly against her cheek before pulling her partner into a sweet kiss. It was soft and delicate, and even though she kissed Lin every day at this point, she never failed to feel butterflies.

“Is everything alright with you and mom,” she murmured after reluctantly pulling away. Lin smiled, tracing Kya’s bottom lip with her thumb. Her green gaze was filled with sparkling admiration that sent shivers through Kya’s skin. 

“She just wanted to talk about something we have in common is all. Noting to worry about,” she murmured before kissing the corner of the Waterbneder’s lips. Kya smiled as her bubbling stress was replaced with warm relief. 

“And what might that be, if you don’t mind me asking?” She mused, tilting her head with a cocky smile. Lin exhaled a small laugh and kissed her again, a strong hand holding her waist while the thumb of her other hand gently stroked the dip under her lips and above her chin. She kissed the space between Kya’s eyes before answering. 

“We both love you,” she breathed. Kya couldn’t hide the grin that formed on her lips as she laughed lightly with bubbling embarrassment. She buried her face in Lin’s neck to hide the burning feeling that rushed into her cheeks. She felt the vibration of warm laughter in Lin's throat.

"I love you and your family so much, but can we please go home now?" Lin murmured. Kya grinned against her partner's neck and kissed her collarbone. 

"I would love nothing more," Kya whispered in response as a tired feeling began to wash over her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled with writing this chapter, but I think I'm satisfied with how it came out. I'm very excited about the next few chapters! I'm thinking about having chapter 15 be the private conversation between Lin and Katara, so let me know if that sounds fun.


	15. Mother's Intuition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After telling Kya’s family about their marriage, Katara takes Lin aside for an unexpected conversation regarding her daughter...

“Would you mind helping me in the kitchen Lin? It’ll only be a minute.” Lin wasn’t sure how to react to this question, but she moved to get up anyway. Pema opened her mouth with a smile, offering to help instead, but Katara shook her head with silent rejection. “You aren't in any trouble, I just want to talk is all,” she explained. Her expression didn’t waver from a smile. 

Lin took some of the dishes from Katara and followed her out of the garden. She looked back at Kya for some kind of reassurance, but her partner was just as confused as she was. She swallowed sharply as she entered the kitchen behind Katara, who she only now realized was her mother-in-law. Katara put down her dishes and started the faucet before turning to Lin with that unwavering smile. 

“Katara, if you wanted us to ask you first-” she was cut off when Katara raised a hand to silence her and shook her head. 

“Lin, I meant what I said. I’m truly thrilled for both of you, and I never wanted you to ask my permission to marry my daughter. Kya is a grown woman and I trust that she can make her own choices,” Katara’s gaze saddened slightly after bringing up her daughter, and she drew out a long exhale.

“But, I’m worried about her,” Lin tensed slightly, walking over to Katara’s side and setting her dishes on the counter. Katara began washing the dishes with her Waterbending, handing Lin a rag so that she could dry as they spoke. “Be honest with me, how has she been?” Katara’s voice was filled with a shaky worry that Lin had never expected. 

“Do you mean how has she been since Aang passed?” Lin murmured, drying one of the plates that was handed to her. The Waterbender wordlessly nodded. 

She watched the way Katara’s hands cleaned the dishes with her Waterbending. It was so smooth and fluid, just like Kya’s bending. It was almost like Katara didn’t have to think about what she was doing, the water just knew what it should do under her command. 

“She’s been better the past few days, but it’s been hard,” Lin turned took another dish, setting the one from before to the side. “After it happened, she took a few days to herself to grieve, then she was back to work. I also assume that you noticed how much time she spent here with Jinora after she was born.” Katara nodded but didn’t say anything. 

“She would never want to talk about it with me, and when I got home it seemed like all her energy was focused on taking care of me.” Lin continued. 

“I was of course upset for a while, Aang and I had always been very close, but she acted like Aang’s passing affected me more than her. Our rolls just felt reversed,” Lin explained, realizing how confused she had been before. “It was hard to watch. I just wanted her to talk and let me take care of her for once, but it didn’t feel like she would let me.” Katara made a small sound, something like laughter. 

“That’s how Kya reflects. She’d done it since she was a child.” Lin stopped briefly, not sure if she understood. Katara glanced at her and sighed. 

“When Kya gets upset about things, she doesn’t take enough time to process her feelings. She instead puts nearly all of her energy into caring for others so she doesn’t have to think about her issue.” Lin nodded.

“It’s a chopping mechanism that works for some, but Kya takes it to an extreme and forgets that she needs to be cared for too.” Lin listened intently, starting to understand what Katara was explaining. Thinking back she could now pinpoint moments where Kya could have been doing this with her and other people around them. There was a pause before Lin spoke again.

“I did get her to talk eventually. It took some convincing, and she was worried about me, but she said that she didn’t feel like she was good enough. When she was born a Waterbender and she went away to travel, she felt like those things disappointed Aang.” She watched the sad expression creep into Katara’s face as she nodded. 

“She always worried about that, her and Bumi both,” Katara sighed, finishing the dishes and joining Lin in drying them off. “I love my husband with my whole heart, but when he found out Tenzin was an Airbender it all went to his head. I think he sometimes forgot that while it was he was an Airbender, he was also a father.” Lin stayed quiet but nodded. 

“Kya always worried me the most when it came to my children and them growing up. She has so much love to give, and she gives it out so easily. I fear that she doesn’t save some of that love for herself.” Lin’s mind flashed to all the little things Kya had done for her in their lives, all the little things she did for other people. Was her wife not giving herself the same love she gave to others?

“How can I help her?” Lin asked, stopping what she was doing and turning her full attention to Katara, who in turn smiled with that still sad gaze. 

“I think what you’ve been doing helps. Take care of her, remind her that she’s enough and that she’s loved. Let her care for you, but still remind her to care for herself.” Katara managed to smile and the sadness drifted slightly from her gaze. “She really loves you, Lin. Knowing that she’s doing enough is the best thing for her, and hearing that from you would really mean a lot to her,” She explained. 

“After all this time, she’s done more than enough. She means the world to me.” Lin felt warmth growing in her cheeks and a smile creep into her lips as the thought of Kya. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone. Not even Tenzin really,” she murmured, turning and leaning on the countertop. Katara stayed quiet for a moment and smiled.

“I’m glad she has you to take care of her. Kya’s my little girl, and while I wish I could, I can’t protect her forever…” she trailed off slightly, averting her gaze. Lin studied the woman in front of her for a moment, figuring out what could be bothering Katara before it dawned on her. 

“You’re moving south, arent you?” she practically whispered. Katara looked up and breathed out a long sigh. 

“The search for the Avatar has started. It seems too soon, but we have a large area to cover with both the poles and Republic city. They will be from the Water tribe and preparations need to be made. I have been chosen as their Waterbending master, and there is so much that needs to be done. It’s what’s best for now,” she explained before smiling again. 

“I couldn’t leave without making sure my children will be ok without me here for them. Bumi is traveling the world and he’s as content as he can be in his job. Tenzin is raising his family and carrying out the Airnation legacy.” Katara smiled with pride for her two sons before her water-blue gaze softened as it met Lin’s.

“And Kya found you.” Katara walked forward, wrapping her arms around Lin and holding her like she was a child again. Lin followed suit, excepting the hug. She began to feel choked up in her throat, but not crying. 

“I’ll take care of her…” Lin murmured, instinctively squeezing Katara a little tighter than she normally would. Katara pulled away and pushed the hair behind Lin’s ear, cupping the younger woman’s cheek in her hand with a grateful smile. 

“I know you will, hun” she murmured. She leaned forward, planting a kiss on the space between Lin’s eyes. When Lin gave her a confused look she smiled and winked. “It’s a family thing,” She murmured with a small laugh. The Waterbender pulled away, affectionately squeezing Lin’s arm before putting the dishes away. Lin stayed still for a moment before her expression softened in understanding. 

“Katara, before we head home, can I get your help with something?” Lin asked, approaching the Waterbender’s side and helping her put the dishes away. Katara raised an eyebrow and smiled. 

“Of course hun, what do you need?” She murmured.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they had nearly finished their conversation, Tenzin entered the kitchen. His expression was riddled with anxiety, despite his best efforts to hide it. 

“Is everything alright here? Kya was getting worried so I offered to check,” He trailed off, swallowing quickly in fear of upsetting someone. Katara smiled and shook her head, rolling her eyes. It made Lin smile and stifle a laugh slightly. 

“It’s alright. I just wanted a moment with my daughter-in-law is all,” Katara smiled and jokingly wrapped an arm over Lin’s shoulder. “Tell Kya to meet Lin out front. We have one more thing to discuss,” Katara side-eyed Lin, jokingly winking. LIn could only nod and grin. Tenzin seemed unsure but he relaxed and shook his head with a smile before leaving them again. 

“Do you need anything else? Any other questions?” Katara asked, taking her arm off of Lin’s shoulders and taking the Earthbender’s hands into her own. Lin shook her head. 

“I think I’ve got it under control for the most part,” She smiled for a moment before she faltered slightly, “What is she going to think about it?” Lin asked before Katara smiled and laughed gently. 

“She’ll love it because it’s from you,” Katara insisted, squeezing Lin’s hands. “Now, don’t keep my little girl waiting.” Lin nodded, quickly planting a kiss on Katara’s forehead before practically running out of the kitchen. The sun had begun setting while they had been visiting, drowning the island in shades of orange and pink.

Lin felt slender arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to her partner. She gently brushed her knuckles against the Waterbender’s cheekbone, admiring how soft her skin was before Kya pulled her in, their lips lightly meeting in the middle. 

“Is everything alright with you and mom,” Kya murmured, worry prickling her voice slightly. Lin smiled, tracing Kya’s bottom lip with her thumb, she practically swam in Kya’s blue gaze. 

“She just wanted to talk about something we have in common is all. Nothing to worry about,” she murmured before kissing the corner of the Waterbneder’s lips. She felt Kya’s lips smile from under her, a soft hum in the back of her throat. 

“And what might that be, if you don’t mind me asking?” The Waterbender mused, tilting her head with a cocky smile. Lin exhaled a small laugh and kissed her lips again, tasting the faint mix of ginger and honey on her partner’s lips. She kissed the space between Kya’s eyes, the same way Katara had, before answering. 

“We both love you,” she breathed. Within the darkening light, she noticed the brilliant shade that filled Kya’s complexion, even if she tried to hide it. Seeing Kya blush thrilled her in a way she never would have expected. Kya never blushed, so it was special.

"I love you and your family so much, but can we please go home now?" Lin murmured. She felt Kya grin against her neck and before kissing her collarbone. 

"I would love nothing more," Kya whispered. Lin felt the way Kya’s weight shifted, leaning into her chest more for support. She could tell that the Waterbender’s energy was growing slim and she couldn’t help smile as she guided Kya to the ferry that waited to take them home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this after writing chapter 14. It's always fun writing different perspectives, especially the same scene again from another point of view. 
> 
> I also realized that I wrote a chapter where Lin has a one on one convo with both Aang and Katara now, which I find funny. Maybe I'll do a flashback chapter with Kya and Toph later to round things out ;)


	16. Letters From Your Lover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin is offered a nicer, bigger apartment that’s somehow closer to the police station than their last apartment. The ladies start moving in and officially begin their lives as a married couple in a new Republic City apartment...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //CW: Brief mention of drugs and smut//

Kya shut the door behind her with a long sigh, dropping her keys in the bowl beside the door after locking it. She carried the grocery bags that she had in hand into the kitchen, stepping over a stray box in the hallway to avoid tripping. She put her bags down on the counter and started unloading food into the practically empty fridge and cupboards. 

They had only moved in a month or two ago, and with their work schedules unpacking was taking much longer than they would have liked. They had also been eating takeout since they moved in and Kya was craving a home-cooked meal.

“Hey, hun? Do you want to help me out here?” Kya called into the apartment. She wasn’t sure if Lin was even home so she could easily have been talking to no one, but eventually, she heard a door open in the hall and shuffling footsteps from behind her. She smiled as warm arms wrapped around her and a kiss was planted below her jaw on her neck. 

“Hello to you too,” she grinned, turning her head to catch Lin’s lips with her own. Her partner made a small sound in response before letting her waist go. 

“How was your shift?” Lin asks, taking a few vegetables from one of the gabs and taking them to the fridge. 

“It was alright. Longer than I would have liked but not super busy.” she finishes with a long sigh, turning her attention to the boxes that have been stacked in the corner for over a week now. “Why is moving so hard?” she grumbles under her breath. Lin laughed lightly and shrugged. 

“We both have the weekend off, so we can get a good chunk of unpacking done, alright?” she murmured, kissing Kya’s cheek again. The Waterbender smiled but arched an eyebrow slightly. She noticed Lin had become slightly more affectionate in the last few months. She initiated more small touches, which was usually Kya’s forte. It wasn’t like Kya was complaining, she enjoyed these new displays of affection, but she did wonder about the sudden cause. 

“I know, but I still don’t want to do it,” She mumbled slightly. Lin raised an eyebrow as she opened one of the kitchen boxes, taking out a stack of wrapped plates and putting them into their new place. “I was thinking of cooking tonight. All the takeout is making me feel like shit, and I can make more than enough so that we can have leftovers for the week,” Lin turned around and nodded. 

“That sounds great. Do you want me to help?” Lin asked, unpacking a few bowls from the box. Kya shook her head. 

“You don’t have to, but you can keep me company if you’d like while I cook,” Lin smiled at this idea and nodded. They finished with the groceries and Kya unpacked the dishes she would need to cook. She started a large pot for rice and started chopping vegetables while Lin popped open a bottle of wine. 

Their new apartment had a similar layout to their old place, just with more square footage, plus an extra bed and bath. The kitchen was spacious with an island in the middle that Kya was working on while Lin sat on the other side of it at a stool. She poured out two wine glasses, sipping her own and passing the other to Kya, who graciously took it. 

“How’s that case you’ve been working?” Kya asked as she prepped the stove to roast her cut-up vegetables. Lin took a long sip of her wine, resting her elbow on the counter as she watched Kya work. 

“It’s been tough, but I think we’ve got a lead on it. If that lead ends up being correct then we have a suspect and we can get an arrest warrant.” Kya nodded as she listened. 

“It’s another drug case, right? Is it connected to the one from last month?” Lin shrugged. 

“We looked into that and it could be if they have the same dealer,” she explained. Kya nodded. She never fully understood all the logistics of how crime worked, but she had a rough idea since she had been with Lin for so long. 

“Does that mean you have to go undercover in some shady club to find the dealer?” She smirked and Lin rolled her eyes. The Waterbender had been reading a smutty detective series recently and Lin wouldn’t stop telling her how ridiculous it was. 

“Those books aren't truthful in the slightest, Kya. Police work has and will never involve that much sex,” she smirked as she spoke. 

“Well, maybe sex should be more involved in solving crime. The adrenalin could be helpful with creative thinking,” She grinned suggestively as she checked the rice, her gaze briefly dashing to their bedroom door. She allowed a playful sway to move with her hips as she traveled around the kitchen. Lin, of course, noticed this and smiled, taking another sip of her wine as a dusting of pink spread over her cheeks. 

“Maybe I’ll try that later,” there was a growly bite in Lin’s tone that thrilled Kya for a moment. She briefly contemplated abandoning the meal altogether to instead take Lin for herself then and there, but the sound of boiling water pushed the thought away. She unpackaged the arctic hen breast she had picked up from a Watertribe import shop and began cutting it into small strips to be eaten over the rice, adding lemon and spices to bring out the flavor before throwing it into a pan to cook with the vegetables. 

“I visited my mother and Tenzin before heading home,” Kya satiated after a moment of silence. It had been a few months since they had told Kya’s family about their marriage and the cold months had gradually turned to spring since then. Lin nodded, pouring herself another glass of wine. She offered a refill to Kya, who had been sipping her glass all while cooking. 

“How are things on the island?” Lin asked. Kya didn’t say anything, but Lin seemed to tense at the mention of Katara. Kya drained the rice, setting it aside to cool off some before plating. 

“Things are fine. Tenzin was working so I only got to see Pema and Jinora, then mom took me aside to talk over tea,” She flipped over the bits of the arctic hen to brown on the other side. “Mom’s moving back south next month,” Kya tried to seem like she wasn’t bothered, but she didn’t seem to do a good job based on the look Lin gave her.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Lin asked. She didn’t seem sure of herself like she didn’t know if that was the right thing to ask, but Kya appreciated the effort. She smiled but let out a dramatic sigh as she started plating the food. 

“I’m not sure how to feel about it. I don’t have a say in the matter, of course, its mom’s decision.” Kya put a bowl of rice, vegetables, and arctic hen in front of Lin at the kitchen island and stood on her side with her bowl to eat rather than sit on one of the stools. She always preferred being across from people rather than next to them when having a conversation. 

“But it makes me a little sad?” she said it like she was asking a question. “She’s going because they’ve begun looking for the next Avatar, and I guess that just reminds me that dad’s gone.” She sighed heavily, picking at her food before taking a real bite. Lin had been eating while she spoke, nodding along in understanding. She reached her hand across the kitchen island and squeezed Kya’s hand. 

“I think that makes sense,” Lin murmured. Kya watched as she contemplated what to say next. The Waterbender let out a small breath as Lin’s brow furrowed with thought. She knew her partner wasn't the best at comforting people, not the same way as Kya anyway, but she found the effort sweet. 

“I know it does, but she’s leaving me. Everything’s so different all of the sudden. I feel like I can’t catch up,” she confessed before taking a bite of her meal. Lin tentatively nodded, understanding what she meant. 

“Things are different now, that's for sure, but is it all bad?” Lin asked with a thoughtful gaze. Ky stayed quiet before sighing and shaking her head. 

“No, most of it's great. Being with you is great, Jinora is great and our apartment is great, but it still feels like I’m losing my parents. I know mom isn't really gone, but She’s not going to be right here when I need her,” she murmured, her gaze shifting down to her hand that was still clasped with Lin’s.

“You know you can talk to me about anything. I am your wife after all. Being here for you is part of my job” Lin responds with a small snort at the end like she's stifling laughter. Her expression is trying to be understanding and expressed a warm kindness that Kya needed. She smiled and laughed gently, shaking her head. 

“I know, and I’m so grateful for you,” She leaned across the kitchen Island, pressing a soft kiss that tasted like their dinner and wine against Lin’s lips before sighing again. “I’m not the best about being honest with my feelings. I’ll try to be better about that,” she murmured. Lin squeezed her hand in response. They stay quiet for a moment, finishing their meals before Kya pipes up again. 

“Thank you for letting me ramble,” Lin had gotten up and walked around to her side of the island, taking Kya’s bowl and planting a soft kiss on her cheek. 

“That's another part of my job as your wife,” She got started on the dinner dishes with a small grin.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

After leftovers had been put away and dishes had been cleaned and returned to their place, Kya stretched out on the living room floor with a moving box, gingerly unpacking it with a glass of wine to her left on the coffee table. She’d changed out of her work clothes shortly after dinner. 

She was now wearing a loose pair of lounge pants from one of her adventures and an oversized top that went down to her knees when she stood up. Lin sat curled up on the couch behind her, working on arrest reports so that she didn’t need to do them later. Kya pulled out a few books before finding what she had been looking for. 

“Linny! Close your eyes!” She piped up halfway through a sip of wine. It sloshed around in her glass as she frantically put it back down, her voice filled with a shrill excitement that interrupted her wife’s work. 

“Do you need to use that nickname? It’s childish,” Lin protested with a roll of her eyes. Kya leaned her head back to give Lin a look but grinned anyway. Lin did as she was told and covered her eyes as Kya crawled into her lap on the couch with the book in hand. She snuggled between Lin’s legs, tapping the Earthbender’s hand to signal that she was free to look. 

“I don’t remember this book,” Lin furrowed her brow, trying to recall if the book presented to her was familiar or not. It had a blue-grey cover with gold detailing along the edges and the spine, with no author or title anywhere. Kya gave her an excited smile and shook her head. 

“It’s new,” She insisted, opening it up so that Lin could get a look. Her partner took the book and flipped through it, a confused expression on her face for a minute or so till her gaze softened and she turned back to Kya with realization. 

“Are these all of our old letters?” she murmured. Her voice sounded like she was on the verge of shocking tears. Kya could only grin and nod, wrapping her arms around Lin’s neck and kissing her cheek. 

“I found them while packing and thought they needed to be kept somewhere special,” she could feel the shaky breath that Lin took as she rested her head on her wife’s shoulder. Flipping through the book they read old letters that had been filled with horrible flirting from both of them, as well as added pictures and newspaper clippings from what they had been doing at the time the letters had been written. 

“How did I get lucky enough to have you?” Lin murmured after a while, planting a kiss on Kya’s forehead. Kya laughed gently, kissing Lin’s neck as she breathed in her familiar, comforting scent. 

“Luck had nothing to do with it, hun,” Lin raised an eyebrow questioningly with another smile. Kay grinned and tightened her grip on Lin’s shoulder. “You have me because I find you irresistible,” She whispers, noticing the goosebumps that appeared on Lin’s neck. 

She loved the way she could still make Lin squirm under her touch, even after all these years. Teasingly, Kya slid a hand under Lin’s top, tracing circles on the hard muscles that make up Lin’s chest. She grinned at the redness that filled Lin’s cheeks and moved to kiss her partner, but Lin shifted away, leaving Kya on the couch. She couldn’t help making a pouty expression with a pushed out lower lip before Lin quickly kissed her lips. 

“We can definitely do that, but I have something that needs to be done first,” Lin murmured, her fingertips lightly brushing against Kya’s jaw. 

“What needs to be done is me, but alright,” Kya huffed, earning an eye roll from Lin as she left the living room. There's some shuffling in the bedroom for a moment and it sounds like Lin is looking for something before she returns with a small silk bag. Kya arched an eyebrow, completely unsure of what could be going on. Lin had never been much of a gift-giver, which Kya didn’t really mind. She preferred to show her affection in private moments between the two of them.

Lin nudged Kya out of the way, taking her spot on the couch again. Kya shuffled away and sat with her knees pulled into her chest, letting her head roll along her shoulders as she watched Lin’s slow, drawn-out movements. She noticed the way Lin’s hands trembled slightly. Her hands had always been so steady and sure like Lin was. The slight shake worried a part of Kya, but she also somehow found it endearing. It showed vulnerability. 

Lin gazed back up at her once she’d opened the bag, pausing like she was making sure she wanted to do this. Kya stayed quiet and still, only moving her lips to form a soft, reassuring smile. This seemed to relax Lin, and she watched as her wife pinched her eyes shut. 

Taking a deep breath, Lin steadied herself before letting the contents of the silk bag roll out into her palm. Kya leaned forward slightly, trying to get a better look before Lin took her hand into her own, opening up her palm and placing what felt like a small stone into it. Further, inspection revealed an ocean blue satin choker with a small silver clasp on either end. In the center was a small stone. 

It was so smooth that Kya believed it must have been eroded by the ocean. She’s at a loss for words when her fingers brush over the carving in it that seems to be a cross between the Waterbending and Earthbending symbols. She turns her attention back up to Lin, who has a sheepish smile, and at that moment Kya burst into tears, practically throwing herself into Lin’s grasp. Lin seemed confused for a moment, but she eventually wraps her arms around Kya, holding her tight. 

“Your mom helped me make it…” Lin murmured eventually when Kya’s tears subside. The Waterbender pulled back, gazing into her wife’s eyes. She smiled and laughed gently, pawing tears from her cheeks, the necklace still tightly held in her grip. She leaned forward again, practically grabbing Lin’s face and pulling her into a long kiss. 

“It’s perfect,” Kya whispered as she caught her breath, a warm laugh bubbling in her throat. Lin couldn’t help smile as she pulled Kya closer, gently taking the necklace from her hand. Wrapping her arms around the Waterbender’s neck, she fastened the clasp in the back. Kye gently brushed her fingers across the engraving before grinning up at her partner again. Lin’s hands moved away from her neck, cupping either side of Kya’s face. 

“Now, how about I leave this on,” She gestured to the necklace as she leaned forward, kissing Lin’s cheekbone beside her ear. “And you can take everything else off,” She whispered with hot breath. She felt the way Lin seemed to jolt, dragging her closer in a possessive manner. Lin made a groaning sound in agreement before pulling Kya’s lips to her own in a long kiss before dragging the Waterbender to her feet.

Kya continued to kiss Lin’s jaw as they tripped over unpacked boxes through the hall and into their bedroom. She clung to Lin’s arm before she was tossed onto the bed with a quick exhale of warm breath. Lin climbed on top of her, straddling the Waterbender so that she couldn’t wiggle away. Strong hands pulled at Kya’s top before squeezing her hips. The Waterbender moaned into Lin’s ear with arousal, her grip tightening around the fabric on Lin’s back. 

Open-mouthed kisses began to travel down Kya’s throat. She gasped when she felt the slight bite that marked the spot where her neck met her shoulders. Lin wasn’t usually the biting type, that was more of Kya’s domain, but she would get into it every so often. Lin’s hips shifted slightly against Kya’s core and she practically purred. Her top had been pulled off now and she felt Lin’s teasing touch cup her breasts, followed by more traveling kisses with periodic biting. 

Lin slowly made her way down to Kya’s stomach, her green gaze knowingly watching as she squirmed. Lin was taking her sweet time, enjoying the way Kya’s breath became heavy and the whimpering sounds she made. She was growing impatient and based on how Lin was treating her, it would be a long, drawn-out evening.

“Linny, baby, please,” She whimpered, arching her back slightly as Lin grew her tongue over her stomach, a throaty laugh following her begging. Lin moved upwards again, lifting her hips and crawling forward so she was above her squirming wife. Kya bit her lower lip intently, thinking she might break the skin. “Please Linny,” She tried again. 

“What did I say about that nickname?” Lin’s voice was low and quiet, but it drove Kya mad. Lin pulled her head upwards, tangling her hand in dark brown hair with a gentle tug. She drew circles into Kya’s lower jaw with her tongue and the Waterbender couldn’t stifle her long, pleading groan. 

“Lin,” She gasped as the tug in her hair tightened briefly and a traveling hand pulled Lin’s attention downward again. She feels the elastic of her pants finally slide down her thighs, causing her to moan in anticipation before Lin shifted her upward on the bed. There was a tight grip on either side of Kya’s thighs. Lin placed more open kisses on her inner thighs, drawing circles with her tongue that drew out long moans, as well as a few marking bites before the silk underwear finally moved away. 

Lin moved forward, holding Lin’s legs down as she pressed forward, her tongue swirling around within Kya’s folds before switching to two fingers that curled within soft, wet flesh. Her thumb gently pressed against her soft bud, making a figure-eight motion in time with her curling fingers. Each movement sent a jolt through the Waterbender and butterflies flew around her stomach. 

She felt drunk with pleasure, eyes rolling back as her hips began to shift with Lin’s rhythm. Her breath grew quick and hot as the blood pumping in her ears grew louder. She felt incoherent. Like she was drifting in and out of reality. Lin’s movements upward, latching onto Kya’s neck and covering it in sloppy kisses. The Waterbender lets out long, drawn-out moans as her fingers curl into Lin’s top, which she still hasn’t removed. 

The pressure within her had built up by now and she can feel her peak as it crept through her. When she was about to let it all go, the motion within her stopped. It's abrupt and disappointing, but she can’t fully process it due to her high. She pulled at Lin’s face, which was still buried in her neck, with full, pleading eyes. 

“Lin please-” Lin didn’t say anything. She instead drew Kya into a sloppy kiss, their teeth hitting together hard as desperation takes over. “Lin! Don’t be mean!” she whimpered through heavy breath before she was pulled into the kiss again. Her legs curl together and her hips keep moving, trying to get Lin to let her finish. 

“Baby. Baby please-” With that, Lin let out a throaty laugh and leaned into Kya, her rhythm starting up again. Within moments Kya finished, her jaw clamping down on the space between Lin’s shoulder and neck. Her partner growls in protest but she can’t pay attention. 

The orgasm feels like it lasts hours and she’s a trembling mess beneath her partner. She unclenched her jaw, limply letting herself fall back on the pillows with a hot exhale. Her eyes clamped shut and she felt Lin climb off her, going to wash up in the bathroom. 

She returns with a warm towel, using it to clean Kya up before climbing back into the bed. Kya sat up to the best of her ability, opening her eyes and reaching for Lin. Her partner shifts closer to her and the Waterbender removes her top, fingers trailing delicately over the bite in her neck. 

“That was a little different than usual,” she murmured, kissing the spot on Lin’s neck and earning a soft sound in response. 

“I think seeing you with only the necklace” she trailed off, taking Kya’s chin and nudging her upwards “made me a little more possessive than usual,” there's a bite in her voice that sent a rush through Kya and she laughs gently. 

“We should do it like that more often if this gets you going like that,” Kya purred, her fingers trailing over the stone around her neck. She pulled her partner close with a warm kiss. “I love you so much,” she murmured the words into Lin’s mouth as her lips arched into a smile. 

“I love you too,” she responds, kissing the corner of Kya’s lips before her smile becomes more mischievous. “I did like having you beg for it though,” Kya’s eyes widen and her cheeks flush. She wasn't normally a blusher, but over time Lin had figured out what got to her. 

“I didn’t mind it either,” she confessed before leaning over and pushing Lin into the mattress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written any smut since chapter 9, so I thought it was time for things to get a little freaky ;) I've also had this chapter title in the works since chapter 5 and I'm so excited to finally use it!


	17. The Avatar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin comes home to find Kya lost in her head. She has some good news and some bad news, and it will push their future in a new direction that neither of them ever anticipated...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is a time skip of just over 5 years between this and last chapter; Lin is 36 & Kya is 38
> 
> I was going to have a few more in between chapters before doing a huge time skip, but they weren't working out so I’m skipping anyway. (maybe I’ll post them another time as flashbacks, idk) 
> 
> At this point, Korra and Jinora are both 6, Ikki has been born and she is 3, and Pema is expecting Meelo any day now.

“Yes mom, thank you for calling. I’ll let you know. Ok. Love you too, mom,” the phone clicked against the receiver as Kya hung up. She stayed frozen in place for what felt like hours, her thoughts jumbling in her head. 

She squeezed the phone under her hand. It would have broken if she was a Metalbender like Lin, but fortunately, she wasn’t. She closed her eyes, taking long, deep breaths in an attempt to relax and process the news she had received. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kya heard the apartment door open but didn’t get up quite yet. Lin was perspective. She would know instantly that something was bothering her wife, and Kya wanted a few more moments before having the inevitable conversation. 

She could hear Lin approaching the bedroom and her spine straightened with discomfort. Lin opened the door slowly, poking her head into their bedroom and smiling when she saw Kya, who in turn forced a quick smile of her own.

“Hey, I didn’t know if you’d be awake. I grabbed dinner for myself and brought you one of those cakes that you like,” Lin said as she walked into the room. She approached Kya, planting a sweet kiss on her forehead before noticing how tense her wife was. Her brow furrowed in worry and she sat on the edge of the bed, taking Kya’s hands into her own. 

“I’m ok, just get changed and we can go to sleep,” Kya murmured before Lin could ask if she was alright. The Earthbender arched an eyebrow and scoffed. 

“You saying that confirms that something’s wrong,” Kya averted her gaze, knowing that Lin was going to see right through her. She stayed quiet, leaving the remainder of the conversation up to Lin. 

“You don’t have to talk now if you don’t want to, but will you tell me in the morning? I’m being forced to come in late because the officers think I’ve been spending too much time on this case,” she rolled her eyes with a soft laugh. 

“I’d like that. I want a little more time to think about things,” Kya murmured. She reached forward, wrapping her arms around her wife and nestled into Lin’s neck, kissing the bit of skin that her uniform failed to cover. She felt a soft hum in the back of her partner’s throat before she pulled away to get changed for the night. 

She soon joined Kya in bed, opening up her side so that the Waterbender could get comfortable and press up against her chest like they normally would. Kya’s arms settled in their place around her partner and the Waterbender felt fingers rin through her let down hair, soothing her into a comfortable sleep despite the thoughts that had pledged her all evening. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following morning Kya awoke to an empty bed as the smell of fresh coffee floated into the bedroom. Based on the sunlight that drifted through the white curtains, it was around nine or ten in the morning. She stayed in the comfortable cocoon of their comforter for a few more minutes before Lin’s humming pulled her out of her slumber. 

Kya sleepily climbed out of bed, pulling on a discarded blue cardigan on the floor before she ventured out to find her wife. She found Lin in the kitchen, preparing a simple breakfast and coffee. She didn’t notice that Kya had woken up yet since she was humming along with the radio that sat on the kitchen windowsill. Kya approached Lin from behind, snaking her arms around from behind and kissing the exposed skin of Lin’s collarbone.

“Morning, Sugar,” Lin murmured. Kya hummed in response, catching her wife’s lips with her own in a still sleepy morning kiss. “You want coffee?” Lin asked, already poring a mug out for her. Kya nodded, eagerly taking the warm mug from her wife and walking away to lean against the counter while Lin finished breakfast. 

“I appreciate the coffee, but why’d you leave me this morning?” Kya asked after taking a long sip of her coffee. “I would have liked lazy morning cuddles,” She faked a pouty lip that Lin arched an eyebrow at. 

“I knew coffee and breakfast was the only way to get you up,” Lin insisted before turning to face Kya completely. “And I needed you to get up so you could tell me what’s bothering you.” Kya’s smile faltered and she looked down into her half-finished mug with a small nod. Lin took their breakfast off the hot stove, letting it cool. She walked across the kitchen, taking Kya’s mug from her and putting it on the counter so she could hold the Waterbender’s hands. 

“I don’t like seeing you so upset. Please tell me so I can help you,” she murmured before softly kissing her partner. It was one of those soft kisses that Kya struggled to say no to. So gently that it didn’t feel real. She turned up her gaze and was met with concerned green eyes. She sighed heavily and squeezed Lin’s hands. 

“I got a call from mom yesterday. She had some news and a request. I don’t know how to feel about it all.” Lin nodded, letting her talk at her own pace. “They found the Avatar. The real Avatar. It's a little girl named Korra in the Southern Tribe. She’s born to two former Northerners and she’s already bending water, fire, and earth,” She explained. 

“Wow, that’s a lot,” Lin murmured. “But isn’t that a good thing?” Kya shrugged. 

“Yes and no. It’s great that they found her and they can start her training, and mom is thrilled that she’s from the south, but,” she stopped again, trying to gauge Lin’s reaction to what she had to say next. 

“Mom’s getting older. She can’t move the same way she used to, and even though she wants to she can’t teach bending the same way she used to.” Lin nodded, but it didn’t seem like she fully understood. 

“She wants to watch over Korra’s training, but she also wants me to be her official Waterbending master.” Lin smiled at that but Kya held up a hand to stop her from saying anything just yet. “That would mean I have to move to the South periodically every year, probably for months at a time,” She practically whispered. There was a silent pause that felt longer than it was. 

“Oh, ok. I understand,” Lin murmured. She pulled Kya into a hug as the Waterbender began to falter. “Hey, it’ll be alright, I promise,” tears began to run down Kya’s cheeks. She was too surprised to dry them. She nudged Lin away slightly, holding her arms and staring at her with a confused gaze. 

“How are you just excepting this?” Kya murmured and Lin blinked, unsure of what she meant. “I thought youed be upset. That youed not want me to leave and there would be-” She stoped when Lin gently cupped her face with one of the softest smiles Kya could recall. 

“Kya, it's ok. This is a huge honor and it would be selfish of me to stop you,” Kya heald Lin’s hands against her cheeks, not wanting the secure feeling to go away. “It’s not like you're leaving me forever, only a few months at a time,” Lin continued. “And it’s not like you haven’t traveled while we were together before,” she added, her thumb gently stroking Kya’s cheekbone, still damp from tears. 

“What if I don’t want to go?” Kya asked and Lin shrugged. 

“Noone's making you go, but I think you'd regret it in the long run if you didn't.” Kya averted her gaze. It was a habit she had when she knew that someone else was right. Kya pressed a kiss to Lin’s palm and closed her eyes as her partner went on. 

“After Aang passed, you talked about making him proud. I said that I already think you have, but I want you to feel like you made him proud. Maybe training his reincarnation can help you with that,” She was right. Lin was almost always right. Kya had to suppress the small smile that wanted to form on her lips at the thought. They stayed quiet for a moment before Kya took a shaky deep breath. 

“How’d I get a wife like you?” Kya breathed, allowing herself to smile again. 

“I wonder the same thing sometimes.” Kya watched as Lin smiled herself and pressed a comforting kiss to the corner of Kya’s lips. Her chest vibrated with a bouncing laugh and Kya draped her arms around Lin’s back, holding her close. Lin kissed the bridge of her nose before pulling away. 

“You’re the most important thing in the world to me. I want you to be happy and do what’s going to make you happy. If I have to be away from you for a few months of the year, I’ll be ok with that,” Lin traced the corner of her partner’s lips with her thumb as she spoke. The Waterbender felt her breath hitch lightly in her chest. 

“I’ll call mom later than and get the details. We can talk more about it after that,” Kya breathed arms pilling Lin closer again, catching the Earthbender’s lips with her own. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 Months later…

The boat let out another loud cry, giving the 15-minute warning for boarding passengers. Kya had made her rounds, saying goodby to her brother and sister-in-law, as well as her little nieces and unborn nephew. The kids of course didn’t fully understand that she wouldn’t be around for the next month and a half. She finally pulled herself together, drying her eyes before turning to Lin with a shaky breath. 

She forced herself into her partner's arms, burying her face in her neck and breathing in the familiar metallic scent that always put her at ease. She felt strong arms wrap around her, holding her as Lin gently ran her fingers through Kya’s dark hair. 

“Hey. It’ll be ok. It's only a month and a half,” Lin murmured when she felt Kya start to cry again. The Waterbender nodded but didn’t loosen her grip whatsoever. After a few minutes of just holding each other, Kya collected herself and pulled away, her hands shifting from Lin’s back to her shoulders. 

“Make sure you eat every day and get enough sleep at home. I don’t want to hear that you've been sleeping at the station. I won't hesitate to make Tenzin come and drag you back home.” She said it with complete seriousness in her voice but Lin couldn’t help grinning at her protectiveness. “And get healing when you get hurt on the job since I won't be home to heal you,” she added, whining her tears away with her hand as she sniffed.

“I don't doubt that you would. I’ll be ok, I promise. I’ll call you when I get home from work so you know I’m ok,” Lin murmured and Kya nodded in agreement, trying to swallow the lump that formed in her throat. The boat made its second call, 5 minutes till boarding. Kya turned her head to the last few people boarding before turning back to Lin with a frightened gaze. Lin simply smiled at her and nodded.

“It’s just a month and a half. I’m just going to meet Korra and figure out what I need to do as her master, and I get to come right home afterward,” she repeated out loud, making it seem like she was reassuring Lin when she was really reassuring herself. Lin gave her a soft smile and nodded. 

“You’ll come back home and I’ll be right here,” Lin whispered before pulling her into a long, sweet kiss that Kya never wanted to leave. She was eventually forced to pull away, however, and say goodbye. 

“Now go. You need to train the Avatar and be the best Waterbending master,” Lin grinned. Kya let out a shaky, anxious laugh before kissing her wife one last time. She picked up her bags and turned around, tears beginning to fall again as she boarded the ship. From the top deck, she watched as her family waved to her. 

Her nieces frantically chased the boat down the dock, cheering and yelling their goodbyes. Tenzin reassuringly patted Lin’s shoulder. Kya couldn’t help smile as she waved from the boat, catching Lin’s gaze for as long as she could before her wife was a small dot on the horizon. When the Earthbender was no longer in her sight, Kya found herself squeezing the smooth pendant around her neck as a reminded that she would be back with her wife soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I wanted to have three chapters between the time skip so that this would be chapter 20 instead of chapter 17, but they just weren't coming out how I wanted so it was best to move on. I'll be working on this story at the same time as "A Touch of Cinnamon" (a KyaLin college professor AU fic I've been writing that you should check out if you haven't)


	18. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya has spent her time in the South helping plan Korra’s training, and after leaving a meeting she has a conversation with Senna, the mother of the Avatar. Lin comes home late but gets a call from a tired Kya…

Kya had decided that training the next Avatar to be a Waterbending master was definitely going to be one of her most interesting endeavors. She had taken this month and a half long trip to spend time with Korra and know what she was going to be getting herself into. She had been pleasantly surprised when she met the little girl and was immediately asked a million questions bout herself and bending. 

Korra was an excited child that clearly wanted nothing more than to be the Avatar. She didn’t seem to have a grasp on what that really meant, but in time she would learn. It was part of Kya’s job to teach her that anyway. 

Kya mostly enjoyed Korra’s effect on Katara. Since the passing of Aang, Kya had noticed how lost her mother had been. She just wasn’t all there. With Korra, however, Katara seemed more like herself. Maybe it was because of Aang’s spirit or just because the young Avatar had taken a liking to her. Kya was just glad her mother was seemingly doing better. 

The last few weeks had been spent planning out Korra’s training plan and getting to know family and friends that would help her along her journey. Meetings would be held every day with various White Lotus members, including herself, her mother, Uncle Sokka, and Korra’s father, Tonruq.

The plan was for Kya to teach Korra Waterbending for her first few years, then move on to Earthbending and Firebending with White Lotus members as masters. Finally, when she had mastered those three, Tenzin and his family would move to the South for Airbending training. 

It was a solid plan for the most part, but Kya wasn’t too keen on Korra being kept in the South for all of it. Most avatars would travel to find their masters, not the other way around. Supposedly, Aang had requested for his successor to be trained in a secure environment. Kya didn’t protest, not seeing it as her place, but it still didn’t sit right with the Waterbender. 

Now, Kya was in yet another one of these plan meetings. They had moved on from discussing Waterbending and she had grown bored, so when her opinion was no longer asked for, she left the small hut and returned to her mother’s home. She let out a long breath, which formed a cloud in front of her face. 

As she approached her mother’s home, she heard laughter and barking from Korra and her bear-dog puppy. She watched for a moment as the young Avatar took a tumble into the show and was tackled by the puppy, which threw the girl into a fit of laughter. Kya smiled and shook her head as she walked up to the house. 

“Master Kya! Master Kya! Look at Naga!” Korra called when she noticed her approaching mentor. Kya nodded and waived. Naga climbed off of Korra and ran up to Kya, thinking that she was waving something for the dog to play with. Korra pushed herself out of the snow and tackled her dog at Kya’s feet. 

“Be careful you two!” a voice called from the house next to Katara’s. Kya looked up and waved to Senna, who motioned for her to come inside. Kya hesitated for a moment but eventually stepped over Korra and Naga to join Senna. The inside of the small hut was nice and warm, a good contrast to the freezing temperatures outside. She found Senna setting up tea to boil. 

“I wanted to thank you again, for training Korra.” Kya shook her head, taking off her coat and taking a seat while Senna brought over tea once the water boiled. 

“There’s no need for any of that. This is just part of my job, and I’m happy to do it. Korra shows great promise as the next Avatar.” She took a sip of tea in an attempt to hide some of her true feelings. Senna didn’t pester her, but she didn’t seem convinced with Kya’s answer. 

“Still. This must be hard for you, being Aang’s daughter and all,” Senna murmured. Kya shrugged with a heavy breath. 

“I had the time I needed to mourn my father, and I think he would be proud to be reincarnated as a spunky kid like Korra,” She managed to smile at the thought and Senna laughed softly. “She’s definitely her own person, but there are these little things about her that remind me of my father,” she sighed slightly and Senna nodded. 

“Your father was one of the greatest Avatar’s. I hope that Korra can live up to him someday,” Senna smiled shyly. 

“I know my father will be guiding her from the spirit world.” there was a short lull before Kya spoke up again. 

“I noticed she don’t Waterbend that often. Is there a reason for that?” Kya crossed her legs and took another sip of her tea, furrowing her brow as she made the comment. Senna nodded, acknowledging the comment as she poured herself another cup. 

“She started Waterbending at around two and a half. She did it all of the time and taught herself some interesting things. At maybe four she Earthbent for the first time, followed by Firebending shortly after.” Kya nodded, sipping her tea as Senna explained. 

“From there she learned that she was likely the Avatar. I think with all the excitement she wanted to focus on the other elements. That's what she thinks makes her special.” Senna’s exhaled sharply and her shoulders hunched ever so slightly. 

“I’m of course so proud of her and I’m glad that she’s happy about being the Avatar, but I worry. I don’t want her to think that being the Avatar is the only special thing about her.” Kya nodded. 

“She definitely has a different attitude about being the Avatar that my father ever did. He wanted nothing to do with any of it.” Kya explained, setting her teacup down. 

“I don’t want her to feel that way either though. It sounds selfish, but part of me wishes that she could have a normal childhood.” There was a worried hurt in Senna’s gaze that filled Kya with a wave of sympathy. “That’s going to be practically impossible, isn’t it?” Kya bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think of a reassuring answer. 

“If I’m honest, I’m not sure,” she reached out and took Senna’s hand, “But we can try and give that to her,” she smiled softly, squeezing the other woman’s hand. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lin opened the door to her shared apartment with Kya, dropping her bag of groceries on the kitchen counter after bending off her armor. Kya insisted that she go shopping and restock the fridge at least once a week so that she was eating. Lin thought it was silly, but she wasn’t going to argue with Kya just in case she ever found out. 

Lin opened the fridge, putting away the groceries and taking out half of a leftover sandwich for a makeshift dinner. It wasn’t much, but she was too tired for food. She left the kitchen, finishing her sandwich as she walked into the bedroom. She changed out of her under uniform into a comfortable pair of shorts and an athletic top. 

She was about to skim over some files before turning in when her office phone rang. She arched an eyebrow, reading that it was nearly midnight already. She settled into her office chair and couldn’t help smile when she picked up the phone. 

“How’s it hanging Cheif?” Kya practically purred over the phone. She sounded like she was stifling a yawn as she spoke and Lin felt a light laugh tickle the back of her throat. 

“What time is it down there?” She asked. She heard Kya scoff on the other end and the Earthbender knew she would be rolling her eyes. 

“Earlier than I would like to be up, but I missed you and I knew you would be home by now,” She murmured. Lin grinned and sighed shortly. 

She could clearly imagine Kya on the other end of the line with her messy morning hair and the sleepy morning smile that she always had. Knowing her she was likely wrapped in fur’s and twisting the phone cord around her finger as she spoke. The mental image pulled at Lin’s heartstrings. 

“I really miss you,” the Earthbender breathed. She heard Kya take a breath over the line. 

“I know. I miss you too, so much. It’s only for another week, then I’m all yours, promise.” Kya sounded strained and Lin knew that she was missing the Earthbender just as much, maybe even more. 

“I took the day you get home off,” She heard Kya gasp sarcastically. 

“Damn, you must really miss me,” She teased. Lin scoffed and rolled her eyes. 

“How’s the planning going?” She asked, changing the subject. Kya groaned dramatically.

“At this point, they’re just repeating themselves. I don’t really have to pay attention anymore because my part has been planned out.” LIn made a soft sound of an acknowledgment as she went on. “I’ll come down here for between four to six months a year, depending on how well she grasps Waterbending.” Lin bit her lip at the thought of Kya being gone for half a year. 

“That's ok, right? It would be spread out of course, but I can still back out if you want me to,” Lin shook her head, even though Kya couldn’t see.

“No. no, I don’t want you to say no because of me,” she murmured. She would never be able to forgive herself if Kya didn’t do this and later regretted it because Lin was selfish. Kya stayed quiet on her end. 

“What’s Korra like? You haven’t talked about her much,” she commented in an attempt to break the silence. 

“The best way to describe her is that she’s nothing and exactly like dad,” Kya seemed to laugh at this idea. “She’s so sweet and curious about everything. Every conversation with her is filled with a million different questions. She’s thrilled that she’s the Avatar and she wants to learn everything about bending. It’ll be fun watching her grow up.” Kya breathed. 

“Sounds like a handful,” Lin leaned back in her office chair and laughed with Kya over the phone. 

“Handful is an understatement. She’s practically looking for trouble, and she has a huge puppy practically attached at her hip.” Lin could hear sleep crawling back into Kya’s voice. 

“Hey, why don’t you get some more sleep. You sound tired,” Lin murmured. She didn’t want to let Kya go, but she knew her wife and if she didn’t end the call soon, she would fall asleep wherever she was. 

“I can keep talking…” She murmured, slurring her words in a yawn. Lin chuckled under her breath and sighed. 

“Go back to bed, love. I’ll call you tomorrow when you're more awake,” she heard Kya make a soft grumbling sound. 

“I love you,” Kya breathed. Her sleepy voice was so familiar and Lin almost forgot that she was half a world away. The Earthbender smiled to herself and sighed heavily. 

“I know, love. I love you too. I’ll see you soon,” Kya sleepily mumbled another loving testimony before setting the phone on the receiver, leaving Lin with the hung up tone. 

The Earthbender put down the phone but didn’t leave her office. It was just after midnight now and she felt more tired than before. She knew Kya would be home soon, but her heart longed to be with her wife right then. 

She eventually pulled herself out of her chair, leaving the files she had planned to look over for tomorrow. Instead, she undid her properly pinned hair, allowing greying black locks to dangle around her face. 

She pulled herself into bed, reaching out for the spot where Kya would eventually return. She took her partner’s pillow into her arms, breathing in the faint but familiar scent. The sentiment was comforting and sleep pulled at her tired eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love Senna and I think she could have an interesting relationship with Kya! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed some sweet ladies missing each other because I'm planning to add some angst next chapter, so be warned and ready!


	19. One More Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tenzin shows up at Lin and Kya’s apartment unannounced, saying that something has happened in the south and they need to go right now…

Lin rolled over in half-drunken sleep, thinking that the pounding would peter out eventually. She pulled the covers over her head, instinctively curling in around Kya’s pillow, but the pounding wouldn’t cease. 

After a few more minutes of unceasing knocking, she hauled herself out of bed. She pulled on a shirt and tripping over herself as she pulled on shorts. She fell face-first on her bedroom floor, the pounding from the front door growing louder and more frantic. 

“I’m coming!” she yelled into the apartment after pull herself to her feet. The knocking stopped after that, thankfully, and she was able to gather her thoughts. Her first thought was how she was going to kill whoever was at her door. 

She caught a glimpse at the clock in her office as she walked past, and it read 4:13. She hissed at the thought that she would need to be in the office at 7:30. She got home late as it was, and she was going to be running on maybe three or four hours of sleep at this rate. 

After nearly tripping over the couch in her half-awake mindset, the knocking began again at the door. Whoever was on the other side only got a few raps in before she flung it open. 

“What the fuck could be so important that it couldn’t wait till morning?” Lin hissed through her clenched jaw. Tenzin stood before her, his fist still held up to knock on the now opened door. His gaze was a mixture of changing emotions and Lin couldn’t get a read on him. That unnerved her more than she would have expected. Tenzin was always straight forward and easy to read. Something was wrong. 

“Lin, there's been an accident in the South,” was all he could say. His voice trembled and broke as he swallowed, lowering his arm. It took a moment for Lin to understand, her eyes squinting as she gazed at him. Then it clicked.

“Kya…” her voice faltered and her wife’s name came out in an airy breath. Her grip on the door tightened and she felt the metal of the doorknob waver. Her gaze darted back up to Tenzin’s eyes and he nodded, but he stopped her before she could say anything. 

“I have Oogi waiting. Pack a bag, we need to go.” Lin wanted to beg for more information, ask what had happened, and if Kya was ok, but for now, she needed to get ready. She rushed through the apartment, finding an old duffle bag in her closet and stuffing it with whatever warm clothing she could find. 

She then tracked into the bathroom and paused for only a moment to take in her reflection. All the color that she had in her face had been drained. She looked like a ghost from the anxiety that flowed into her bloodstream. She felt tears begin to pool in her eyes and she quickly sniffed, forcing them away and packing whatever she would need from the bathroom. 

She didn’t bother changing out of her sleepwear and bent on her armor over top of it, not knowing what to wear instead. The cool metal steadied her, relaxing her briefly before her thoughts returned to Kya. What happened down south? Was Kya hurt, or worse… she stopped herself before the thought even formed. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oogi had brought them to Airtemple Island, where a small ship waited for them. The trip would take all night and day, and they would land some time tomorrow night. Tenzin told her to try and get some sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come. Her thoughts were pledged with images of Kya that may or may not be real. 

She wanted to scream and cry, let all of her jumbled feelings out, but in the end, it would do nothing for Kya. When sleep wouldn’t come, she left the room she had been given, walking out onto the dock. She leaned over the railing, breathing in the salty ocean air. She was too caught up in her thoughts to notice when Tenzin joined her.

“They wouldn’t tell me anything about Kya,” Tenzin murmured after what felt like hours. Lin sat up, repositioning herself and giving him a look. She wasn’t even sure if he had spoken or she just imagined it. He turned his head, a somber expression filled his grey eyes. 

“Who called you?” Lin asked.

“White Lotus members. When I asked what had happened, they wouldn’t give me details.” He sounded tired as he spoke. Tenzin had always sounded slightly tired when he spoke. Probably from all the late nights he spent studying when they were teenagers, and now being a father. But this was a new tired that Lin couldn’t recognize.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about it. They called me, some other council members, and Bumi, I assume at my mother’s request. But I knew Kya would kill me if I didn’t bring you,” He managed to laugh slightly at the mention of Kya. Lin nodded with a forced smile, but she didn’t meet Tenzin’s gaze. Her eyes focused on the water below them. The stars reflected to form a night sky all around them. 

“How has she been? We lost touch for a little while, shortly after Meelo was born.” Tenzin asked. Lin wasn’t really in the mood to talk, but Tenzin needed it. Frankly, she needed it too. Talking would keep them out of their heads. 

“She’s been good. We’ve both been good. She loves her job and family and she loves me. We’re comfortable.” Tenzin made a small sound of acknowledgment. It was strange talking about her personal life with Tenzin again. They hadn’t been on bad terms in forever, but after their original breakup, they never got to be friends again. “What about you? How are Pema and the children?”

“Children are tiring, that's for sure, but they are a blessing,” Tenzin explained with a small laugh. “Pema is doing well. She’s mostly been recovering from Meelo’s birth,” Lin had to keep herself from making a face at the mention of childbirth. She was glad that she had avoided that debacle. Maybe the product of childbirth was nice, but the process never sounded appealing. She applauded Pema for doing it three times now. 

Tenzin was then thrown into talking about his children. Normally, Lin would avoid the topic altogether, or just end the conversation, but hearing Tenzin prattle on about his three kids was a good distraction for both of them. She would be able to recount some of this to Kya later, hopefully.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They landed and were brought to a stronghold that Lin had never seen before. Granted, she hadn’t visited the South in many years, but she would have remembered a huge building like this. Lin and Tenzin were directed through stronghold halls by White lotus members and into a room where they were told to wait. 

The room was rather small and practically empty. It had a table with four chairs in the middle and a rug on the floor. Other than that there was nothing. Nothing to do, nothing to look at. They were left with each other and their thoughts. 

Lin fought the urge to argue and ask about Kya, but before she could get a word in they were left alone. Lin crossed her arms and began to pace. Time ticked by and nothing. Tenzin had begun meditating in a corner to “center himself.” 

Lin’s impatience had practically reached its limit when the door opened once again, only now Bumi was forced into the room. Tenzin opened his eyes and stood up, leaving the three of them to just look at each other for a moment. 

“What the fuck is happening here,” Bumi asked, pushing loose hair out of his face. It had been quite some time since Lin and Bumi had been in the same room. He looked good, regarding the current situation. 

“We don’t know. They just forced us in here and won't tell us anything.” Lin hissed through clenched teeth. She squeezed her crossed arms, trying not to yell at someone.

“This is the White Lotus’ Southern stronghold. If we were bright here, then They must still be processing whatever happened. We just need to wait-”

“We’ve been waiting for hours now Tenzin! How much longer?” Lin interrupted, the water boiling over now. She threw up her arms and growled in exasperation. Tenzin pulled at his beard as he thought while Lin dropped into a chair.

“You know nothing?” Bumi asked, glancing at Lin briefly before turning to his younger brother, who shook his head. 

“No. It must be confidential. I wasn’t even supposed to bring Lin,” Bumi arched an eyebrow and somehow managed to smile.

“Really, Tenzin? You're breaking rules now? When did this happen?” Tenzin rolled his eyes and waved off his brother. 

“This is not the time for jokes Bumi,” He hissed. “I’m sure they will tell us what’s going on momentarily, but for now-” Lin stood up, ready to yell at Tenzin if he suggested waiting again. Before any of that, however, the door opened once more. Two White Lotus guards walked in, standing on either side of the doorway, followed by Katara. 

Tenzin and Bumi overwhelmed their mother hugging her and babbling questions. Lin stayed quiet, standing in place with her arms still crossed. She craned her neck slightly, trying to see if Kya was behind Katara. She wrinkled her brow when she found that Kya wasn’t present. Katara calmed her son’s and nudged them away before she spoke. 

The Waterbending master looked tired, as did everyone else, frankly. Her eyes were puffy and red, but it was hard to tell why. She had bandages around an arm and seemed to be limping slightly. Other than that, she seemed calm and collected.

“As you know, there was an accident. A group of four who call themselves the Red Lotus attacked in an attempt to kidnap Avatar Korra. They have fortunately been apprehended and will be sentenced for life in specially made prisons.” Katara explained. The group needed and she sighed heavily as she continued. 

“Despite the positive outcome, there were still casualties. Many fine guards were injured or killed, and shortly after we called you,” Katara looked at Tenzin with a misty gaze. She paused, closing her eyes and taking a shaky breath. “Sokka passed from his wounds.” Tears began to fall from her eyes and the room was enveloped in shocked silence.

Tenzin wrapped his mother in a firm embrace, letting her get all of her feelings out. Bumi made a strained sound, something like a gasp as he sat down, his hand cupping his forehead as he looked down at his feet. Lin stayed still and quiet, processing what she had been told. 

Katara cried for a few moments longer before collecting herself once again and letting go of Tenzin. Lin’s heart ached for her and her children. She had just lost her brother. Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi had lost their Uncle. Lin had never been close to Sokka in her youth, but she had admired him and was shocked by his loss.

Katara wiped her sad, tired eyes and nodded to Tenzin when he silently asked if she was alright. The Waterbender turned her attention to Lin, who hadn’t said anything or moved since Katara had joined them in the room. She beckoned Lin to come forward and she did, only for her to be passed to one of the guards who had joined Katara.

“Take Lin to Kya’s room. They’ve waited long enough. I will take my son’s to discuss other matters,” She sounded horse and strained, but gave Lin a small smile and reassuring squeeze on her arm. Lin nodded with the smallest of smiles before following the guard. After a few turns through the halls, a guard knocked on a door. No sound came from the other side, but it was opened anyway. 

Lin stepped into the room, her gaze skimming over an open window, another table with chairs and a bed. It took her a moment to realize that Kya sat curled up in the corner of the bed. Her heart broke at the sight. She turned and nodded to the guard, who dipped their head and shut the door behind them as they left. 

Lin settled beside Kya slowly, not wanting to startle her. The room was silent, other than Kya’s muffled tears. She stopped when Lin sat down and slowly sat up. The Waterbender seemed incoherent, and it took her a minute to realize someone was beside her. 

“Lin?” She murmured, messily whipping the tears from her eyes. Lin nodded and reached her hand out slowly to brush hair behind Kya’s ear and cup her tearstained cheek. She felt Kya relax at her touch, shutting her eyes as more tears spilled out. Lin stated quiet, letting her partner get comfortable before saying anything. She gently brushed her thumb over The Waterbender’s cheekbone as she took trembling breaths for air. 

Lin looked at her wife up and down, searching for any injury, and making sure she was alright. There was a wrap around her arm and shoulder, as well as a bandage on her forehead. Any other injuries weren’t visible, but it seemed like they had been cared for. 

Kya eventually opened her eyes, reaching her hands out to hold Lin’s face. Her touch was hesitant like she didn’t believe the Earthbender was there with her. She traced the curve of Lin’s scars, then the bridge of her nose and the arch of her lips. When she was satisfied she pulled Lin forward by her shoulders, burying her face in the crook of Lin’s neck. 

“Spirits, I missed you,” She whimpered and Lin could feel her whole body tremble with tears. She shifted forward on the bed and Kya pressed flush against her. She began to rock Kya gently as she began to cry again, harder this time. She hated seeing Kya this upset, but at least she was safe and alive. That’s what mattered. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“It was all so fast. I don’t remember when it started.” Kya murmured. They had moved to the table when Kya had calmed down some and a member of the stronghold staff had brought them tea. “I woke up to what sounded like an explosion of some kind, and screaming,” Lin reached out for Kya’s hand, which she graciously took. 

“You don’t need to tell me any of this if you don’t want to,” Lin murmured, saddened by the pain in Kya’s gaze. She didn't have that sparkle that she normally would, but it was completely understandable why. 

“No. I want to talk about it. I need to…” She took a deep breath, sipping her cup of tea before she continued. “There was fighting, and screaming and once we realized they were after Korra, mom sent me and Uncle Sokka to either warn her parents or help defend her.” She paused after this, wiping away stray tears and collecting herself once more.

“When we got there, it was a Firebender and a non bender. We thought it would be easy, but the Firebender was like that man uncle Zuko hired.” Lin squinted her gaze before nodding. 

“The one that made explosions with his mind?” Kya nodded.

“Yes, she was like that. Senna was able to get Korra to safety with some of the guards. Tonruq and I handled the Firebender, but that left Sokka with the non-bender.” her grip on the teacup tightened and Lin squeezed her other hand. Kya choked on her breath before staring deep into Lin’s eyes. 

“I watched it all happen. I couldn’t help him, or the Firebender would have gotten away,” Her voice was so small and filled with guilt that broke Lin’s heart. The Earthbender shook her head, taking the cup from Kya’s hand and pulling her into a slightly awkward embrace due to their seating arrangement.

“It wasn't your fault,” Lin murmured. She heard Kya try and protest, but she gently shooshed her. She ran her finger’s through Kya’s tangled hair as she began to cry again. Lin kissed her temple before Kya pulled away. She stared at Lin for a moment before she managed a small smile. 

“Thank you for coming,” She murmured, holding Lin’s hands. The Earthbender breathed out a smile of her own and kissed the bridge of Kya’s nose. 

“Of course, love. I needed to know you were ok,” Kya nodded. “You are ok, right?” her gaze darted to Kya’s bandages. 

“Yeah, I’m ok. Just a few burns,” she sniffed, letting go of Lin’s hand to wipe her nose. Lin nodded and brought her hand up to gently hold Kya’s cheek. The Watebender welcomed her touch and let her head roll into Lin’s hand. 

“So, what do you want to do now?” Lin asked after a long pause of comfortable quiet. Kya furrowed her brow as though she didn’t understand. “Do you need to stay up here? Help figure things out with Korra and all. I can stay for a little while. The city can do without me if you need me more,” she asked. Kya managed to smile and kissed Lin’s palm before moving her hand from her face with a reassuring squeeze. 

“I think mom and I are going to head home tonight. After Uncle Sokka…” she paused squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath, “We need a break from the South. I’d rather be home and sleep in my bed with you,” she murmured. Lin nodded, secretly glad that Kya would be returning to the city with her. She wished the circumstances were different, of course. 

“Tenzin said the boat will be back for tomorrow,” Kya nodded, closing her eyes. Looking over her wife, Lin realized how tired she seemed. She also realized how tired she was. After the stress of everything and being woken up so early by Tenzin, she needed sleep, and it seemed like Kya could also use sleep. 

“Let's get some rest, love.” She suggested. Kya nodded gratefully, standing and guiding Lin to the bed. They stripped down to what was comfortable and Lin bent off her armor, following Kya into bed. The Waterbender clung to Lin, practically climbing into any space she had to herself, but she didn’t mind. 

Lin wrapped her arms around Kya, resting her scarred cheek on the older woman’s hairline with a quick kiss. They both fell into the most comfortable sleep they had in the past month and a half.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took forever to get right, so I hope you enjoyed it!


	20. Quiet Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin and Kya are back home under some not so happy circumstances, but life must go on. Both women grieve over Sokka’s death and must prepare for the Republic City memorial...

They stayed in the South for a week before Lin was forced to return to the city. She told Kya that it was ok if she wanted to stay in the South and grieve with her family, but the Waterbender insisted that she wanted to join Lin, leaving her mother and brothers behind. They would join the couple again in the city in a few weeks for the public memorial.

“I miss our apartment, and I want to make sure you kept my plants alive,” She had said with a forced smile. Lin couldn’t help feel guilt sink into her chest whenever she caught a glimpse of the heartbroken gaze that Kya had so desperately been trying to hide. Sokka’s official funeral had been small and traditional, “the way he would have wanted” Katara had said. 

The trip home somehow felt longer than the trip down south. Maybe it was because of how sad Kya looked the whole time. They got home a few days after the funeral; it was nearly midnight when Lin opened the apartment door. Everything had been left just as she had left it in her panicked rush to pack. She moved to apologize for the mess, but Kya just shook her head. 

“It’s alright, love. We can clean later,” she murmured, dropping her bag by the door and pulling at Lin’s wrist. “Let’s just go to bed,” Lin watched as she swallowed with heavy facial features. She nodded and followed her wife through the darkness and into their bedroom, not bothering to turn any lights on. She helped Kya out of her dress, then undressed and climbed into bed. 

She felt Kya press into her chest, warm skin brushing against hers. She felt every shake and tremble that came from her partner, and she instinctively wrapped around her. Before sleep fully took over, tears slipped out of the Waterbender’s eyes. Lin ran her fingertips along Kya’s clenched jaw and she felt Kya ease into her touch. Her silvering hair tickled the Earthbender’s neck, but she didn’t mind it. 

Sleep pulled at her own eyes, and she let her eyelids shut but she didn’t allow sleep to talk over till she knew Kya was sleeping herself. She left her heartbeat slow down with her breath. Tears stopped falling and she only had damp cheeks, which Lin gently dried with the blanket. She pulled her wife further into her arms, breathing in her familiar smell as she succumbed to sleep.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following week had been long and quiet. Kya was thrown into a similar routine to the one she had adopted when Aang passed. Lin learned from last time and cut back her hours, her officers taking more work for themselves, which she was grateful for. She would come home later, check-in on Kya, and make sure she had eaten. 

Once Katara and her sons came back to the city, Kya practically moved back to Airtemple Island. She helped Katara with planning Sokka’s public service during the day, her family and the acolytes making sure she was eating. Lin would go back to work during the day, returning to the island in the evening rather than going to their apartment. 

Lin had to cover a double shift for another officer one night and arrived on the island late in the night. She’d crept into Kya’s room, where they had been staying, and found her wife curled up in bed, supposedly asleep. She gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek when Kya suddenly sat up. 

“You don’t need to come here after work. I know you like your space, and our bed at home is much more comfortable than what we have here,” she whispered in the dark. Lin stayed frozen for a moment, captivated by the way the moonlight pooled around Kya perfectly. 

She was looking better in the recent week, but grief was still evident in her demeanor. The Earthbender shook her head and managed a soft smile, brushing her hand along Kya’s cheek and behind her ear as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I’d miss you. I know you need your family right now, and if being on the Island makes all of this,” she gestured with her other hand as she spoke, “a little better for you, then I’m ok coming here,” She murmured. Kya smiled at this and drew her arms around Lin’s shoulders, nuzzling her face comfortably in the crook of the Earthbender’s neck. She smiled and kissed Kya’s temple before patting her arm. 

“Let me get out of this then I’ll come to bed,” she murmured. Kya reluctantly let go and took Lin’s hands in her own, stroking her partner’s calloused hands. Her knuckles had been scared over time and Kya always ran her thumb along the smooth, pale skin whenever she was biting back something she wanted to say. “What’s on your mind?” Lin murmured. Kya sighed heavily before she turned her gaze upwards again.

“I just got really lucky,” she whispered. Lin felt her face grow warm suddenly and she smiled. 

“Didn’t I say that luck had nothing to do with that?” she tried joking. Kya arched an eyebrow but still managed a smile. 

“Yes, you did, but I still feel lucky to have you here,” she sighed. “I feel lucky every time you walk into the room, every time you hold my hand and kiss me.” her voice began to trimmer and Lin squeezed her hands, shifting closer to her on the edge of the bed. 

“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Lin,” she finally confessed and her voice choked. Lin heard her wife sniff in the dark and instinctively cupped her cheek, whipping away stray tears. 

“I’m not going anywhere any time soon, darling,” Lin whispered. She felt Kya smile and kiss her palm before letting go of her hand and taking a deep breath. 

“I’ll let you get undressed. I think we both need sleep,” she murmured. Lin nodded, doing as she was told. Kya had already rolled over to her side of the bed and let go of Lin’s pillow when the Earthbender climbed into bed. Lying down now, Lin realized how much her body ached. It was like all day every muscle was tensed as tight as possible without her realizing it. However, once she was in her partner's arms and knew that despite everything, she was still here, she could relax. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morning felt like it dragged on the day of Sokka’s memorial. Lin stared at the ceiling of Kya’s childhood room, her wife still lost in sleep, rhythmic breathing beside her. She twitched now and then, and Lin stayed still, watching as the rising sun’s rays crept into the room, bathing her partner in golden light. 

The Earthbender wondered sometimes if she had married a spirit without knowing it. The clock across the room caught her eye. It was time to wake Kya, even if every part of her wanted to let her sleep. She gently stroked Kya’s hair, drawing it out of her face and over her warm shoulders, admiring her wife for a moment longer. 

“We need to get up, love,” she whispered, kissing her partner’s forehead, moving down to her nose and cheeks. She felt Kya stir beside her and she pulled away. The Waterbender cracked open her eyes, slivers of bright blue meeting with green, and managed to softly smile before she stretched and pushed herself up. 

“You remember what’s today, right?” Lin asked cautiously. Kya rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and her gaze saddened, but her small smile remained. She stretched her arms upward, making a murmuring sound like a cat-deer purring before lowering her shoulders and nodding. 

“Yeah, I remember,” she murmured. Lin watched her with anxiety and Kya took her hand. “I’ll be ok, promise,” she sighed. Lin nodded, but she watched as Kya’s breath hitched when she spoke. It would be a hard day for everyone, that was for sure. 

“Did you write a speech?” Lin asked and her wife shook her head. 

“No. We thought it would be best if Bumi spoke for all three of us. He was the closest to Sokka, and he wanted to do it,” she shrugged. She then laughed a horse, tired laugh, and whipped her eyes quickly, attempting so that Lin wouldn’t notice. “I think we all knew that I would break if I had to say anything,” Lin tensed at her self depreciation and instinctively squeezed Kya’s hand. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t joke like that. Not now,” Kya mumbled, looking away. Lin parted her lips to speak but Kya slipped out of bed, letting go of her hand. “I’m going to shower. I won't be long if you need it,” she said quickly as she slipped into her attached bathroom. 

Lin stayed in bed, sat up as she watched Kya disappear into the bathroom, the door closing behind her and the shower head turning on. She fell back into the bed for a moment staring at the ceiling again and worked out her thoughts. She wasn’t on duty today since Sokka had been practically family. She felt a squirming in her stomach at the realization he was gone. 

She wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about it all. She hadn’t grieved for Sokka the way everyone else seemed to. Was that a bad thing? Of course, she cared about Sokka and his death had been a shock to her and everyone else. She didn’t have moments where she was immobilized by grief, not the way Kya did. She almost felt guilty about it all. 

She was drawn out of her thoughts when she heard the click of the shower turning off. She pulled herself out of bed, stretching out her spine and shoulders as Kya walked back into the bedroom. She didn’t see her wife, but she felt smooth arms wrap around her waist from behind. Soft lips kissed her exposed shoulder blades and she breathed in heavily before turning around. 

Kya loosened her arms so Lin could turn, only to tighten her grip around her once more. Kya’s skin felt cool and smooth against her own, strands of still wet hair stuck to her forehead. Lin gave her a sad smile and kissed the bridge of her nose. 

“It’s just one more day, then we can start to get back to normal,” Lin whispered. She watched Kya nod with a long breath.

“But he’ll still be gone,” Kya mumbled. Lin furrowed her brow in conflicted worry, not sure what she should say. She bit her lower lip slightly and chose to change the subject. 

“Did you think more about Korra’s training?” she asked. Katara had a conversation with Kya that past week in between memorial preparations regarding training the Avatar. Kya wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue as the Avatar’s Waterbneding master with the development of the Red Lotus. It put her in a risky spot that she was hesitant about. Kya had confided in Lin about her worries, ultimately choosing to think on it before telling Katara if she would continue or not.

“A little bit. I’m still conflicted, and I worry about losing more people I love,” she trailed her fingertips over the scars along Lin’s cheek, visually distracting herself as she spoke,” But I think in the long run I’d regret not taking the risk.” her voice grew heavy as she said it like the decision was causing more stain then she was willing to admit. 

“Well, I’ll support whatever you choose,” Lin murmured, pressing a warm kiss to the Waterbender’s cheek. She got a soft smile of thanks in return. They stood together, almost swaying in the warm rays of sunlight that streamed into the bedroom. Dust particles danced around the room, spotting Kya’s silvering hair. She admired her partner at the moment. It was a rare peace that they hadn't experienced in what felt like forever. 

“We should get ready,” Kya murmured eventually, grief filling her expression once again. She felt her wife’s breath tremble in her chest, as though remembering what today was broke her heart all over again. Lin frowned, reluctantly nodded, and gave Kya’s arm a little squeeze before she pulled away. She told herself again, that things would get better. They just had to take things one day at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was conflicted on how I wanted to end this chapter. I started writing about the memorial, but I ended here because I wanted the chapter to be focused on Lin and Kya as they grieve. The ending is a little awkward, but I hope you don't mind. 
> 
> I see Lin as the type that grieves quickly and almost all at once. She has an easier time excepting that things/people are gone, and she doesn't get extremely hung up on it. That's not to say she isn't upset by Sokka's death, shes just rationalized it faster than most. 
> 
> Kya on the other hand easily slips into grief. It can easily overtake and overwhelm her to the point of immobilization. She struggles to accept that people are really gone for good. 
> 
> I'm swamped with work right now, but after Exams, I plan on working and finishing A Touch Of Cinnamon for the holidays, so there may be a break in uploading to this fic, by the way.


	21. Vacation Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kya hasn't been back South since the Red Lotus attack, meaning she hasn't seen Korra in six months. She contemplates returning, but maybe she needs a bit of a nudge from someone...

Kya hadn’t been back south since the incident, which happened nearly six months ago now. Korra and her training would be alright without her for the time being, since she was still learning the basics. Katara gave her daughter weekly updates on the young Avatar’s progress, as well as messages Korra had for her mentor. Kya had to admit that she missed training Korra, but her fear of something happening again seemed to overtake her, which in itself was frustrating. 

The Red Lotus members that had pursued the young Avatar had all been moved to specially designed prisons. Prisons that had been based on sketches found in Sokka’s study after his passing. Despite the initial danger being gone, Korra had been moved to the White Lotus stronghold in fear of another incident. Consciously, everyone knew that this was what was best for Korra, but Katara and Kya both had their apprehensions. 

“It’s not what your father would have wanted for his successor,” Kya recalled her mother saying over the phone after the move had been finalized. Her mother was right after all. Aang wanted his successor to have a somewhat normal childhood, like the one he had lost, but not at the cost of their freedom. The silver lining was that Korra was young. She did not know about the attack and she would grow up knowing nothing different. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was still a solution.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you thinking about Korra again?” Lin asked, peeking into the living room from her place in the kitchen as she prepared a new kettle of tea. Kya sat slouched on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket rereading a letter she had gotten a few days ago. She stayed relatively quiet, only making a mild grunt sound in response to her wife’s question. She heard Lin sigh heavily, followed by the clicking of a spoon as she mixed honey into their tea. 

Kya eventually felt her wife approach the couch, nudging the Waterbender so she’d make room on the couch. Kya shifted so that Lin could sit where her head had been. Her wife left her lap open so that the Waterbneder could return to her position. Kya could smell the tea blend in Lin and her cups and while she could tell it was her favorite, she didn’t feel like drinking at the moment. 

Instead, her gaze wandered around their shared apartment. Things in their home felt a lot more crowded in recent months. Kya spent most of her days in their apartment, and on the rare occasion she ventured outside, it wasn’t uncommon for her to pick something up to provide a small change. She never liked mundane repetition in life. She needed something new to distract her. That's part of what drove her to travel. The consistent need to have and find something new. 

That need for eccentric surroundings had now led to an apartment filled with new plants, books, and rocks that lined their shelves. The walls had been redecorated once again with photos, framed letters, and a couple of new Earth Kingdom and Watertribe tapestries. Lin generally didn’t care for constant change. Yet, she somehow had grown accustomed to the few evenings when she would come home to find that Kya had reorganized the apartment once again. Now, the Waterbender had her eyes trained on their framed photos, reorganizing them for the third time this month in her head.

“Hey, talk to me,” Lin mumbled, poking at Kya’s cheek before taking a long sip of her tea. “You've been torturing yourself over that letter since Tuesday. Why’s it got you in such a funk?” Kya let out a heavy sigh and snuggled into her blanket again, burying her chin in the rowen fabric. 

“Korra wrote it for me. Mom added a little note saying that Korra’s been learning to read and write and as soon as she learned she could write letters she wanted to write me one.” she huffed. 

“That’s sweet though. Why would you be all gloomy over that?”

“Because she misses me Lin, and I’ve stayed away because of my issues. What if she thinks she did something wrong and it sent me away?” she could hear Lin stifle a laugh and shot her an annoyed look. Lin shook her head and hid her smile behind the brim of her mug. “It’s not funny Lin,” Kya grumbled, turning her gaze back to the messy handwriting of the letter. 

“Your right. I shouldn’t laugh. I’m sorry,” Lin murmured. She reached a hand down and grazed Kya’s forehead with it, taking a strand of hair away. “It’s just sweet that you think that way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Honey, you have to remember that Korra’s what, six years old? Six years old’s don’t notice other people.”

“She’s seven now. Her birthday was last week,” The room was drowned in silence that seemed to last far too long. Kya knew Lin hadn’t noticed the anniversary. The anniversary of her father’s passing followed so soon after Sokka’s death had hit the Waterbender harder than she would have liked to admit. She had wanted to find comfort in Lin, but work had picked up and she didn’t want to cause any more stress. 

“Why didn’t you remind me?” Lin asked, leaning forward to put her tea down. She stroked Kya’s hairline and the Waterbender closed her eyes, the letter crinkling in her hand as she let it rest on her lap. 

“I didn’t want to bother you with my issues again,” her voice was lower than a whisper. 

“Kya, we’ve been over this. Your problems are mine because I married you. I agreed to take on your problems when I agreed to marry you. You told me that, remember?” There was a hint of scornfulness in her voice like she was reprimanding a child. Kya huffed and rolled onto her side, her face buried into Lin’s stomach. She pulled her knees into her chest, hiding under the blanket. 

“I know, I know. I just...I feel like I should have moved on from all this by now.”

“You're still grieving, hun, and that's ok. It’s been a lot these last few months, what with training Korra and now Sokka. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to have a hard time,” Kya chewed on her lower lip, refusing to look up at her partner, who still stroked her hairline. “Have you thought any more about Korra though? Before you said you'd regret not training her. DO you still feel that way?”

“For the most part, yes. It’s just about actually going now. Mom’s capable of handling her easer, beginning moves, but she's progressing fast and wants a challenge,” she admitted. She paused again, thinking things over in her head again. “Tenzin’s heading south to visit mom with Pema and the kids in a few weeks. He invited me to come along with them.”

“Is it safe for them to be traveling when Pema’s expecting?” 

“I checked everything yesterday. That baby’s stubborn and doesn’t look like he’s moving anytime soon,” she felt Lin’s laugh more than she heard it.

“I think it’s a good idea for you to go if you want to. You don’t have to stay for a long time and you can come home with Tenzin and the kids if you want to.” Lin suggested. Kya nodded, staying quiet again. She eventually poked her head out from int’s spot nestled in Lin’s stomach. She lay on her back again, looking up at her partner.

“Would you want to maybe come too?” she asked sheepishly. Lin arched an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by the question. “Korra’s asked about you a lot. Well, not you specifically, but she asked about my partner when she noticed my necklace." Her fingertips grazed the stone tied around her neck as she mentioned it. 

“Oh really? What did you tell her?” 

“The truth. I’m married to the most powerful Earthbender I’ve ever met. She’s intelligent, witty, work far too much, and cares about everyone she meets more than they will ever know.” Lin’s complexion grew pink at the compliment and she smiled. “And, she’s very easy on the eyes,” Kya added. She heard her partner audibly groan, which drew out a laugh from the Waterbender. 

“Of course when I said ‘most powerful Earthbender I’ve ever met,’ she instantly assumed I married Toph." Lin’s brow raised and Kya grinned, “but she eventually got the idea.” Lin smiled and sighed, leaning her head on the backrest of the couch. Her fingertips lazily curled around long, glossy brown strands of Kya’s hair. 

“But back to my question from before. If I went down south to visit Korra and mom with Tenzin and the family, would you come?” 

“How long are they staying down there?”

“Two weeks I think.” she could see Lin bite her lower lip as she thought through her schedule for the upcoming weeks. “If I feel comfortable, maybe I’ll stay a little longer to check up on Korra’s training. I don’t know though,” she murmured. 

“If I go, will you promise to stay a little longer with Korra?” Kya turned to look up at her partner with a slightly offended look. 

“Are you that sick of me?” she said it as a joke, but part of her wondered. Lin’s gaze flashed with alarm for a moment and she shook her head, blinking her eyes shut. 

“No, no. That’s not what I meant,” she quickly corrected. “I've noticed that sometimes you need a bit of an incentive to do some things. A little push helps you make the diction that you've hesitated on.” Lin explained. Kya’s eyes widened in surprise. She had never thought of herself like that. Now that the idea had been brought up, it made sense. She grinned with a small laugh. 

“When did you get so good at reading people?” she asked and Lin rolled her eyes. 

“I’ve always been good at it. That’s part of my job after all.” Kya hummed in response, closing her eyes as she mulled over Lin’s offer. 

“Alright. I’ll stay a week longer if you come with Tenzin and the family. A week at minimum.” she pointed up at her partner, who responded with a soft hum, likely adorning a smirk as well. 

“Deal,” Lin murmured before leaning down and planting a warm kiss against Kya’s hairline. The Waterbender grinned and pulled herself upward so that she was sitting up. She leaned into her partner's side, wrapping the free part of her blanket around Lin’s legs. “Are we going to be going by bison? I could never get used to flying,” Lin asked with a slight shutter. 

“I’ll ask Tenzin to rent a boat,” she said with a smile, brushing loose hair behind Lin’s ear and kissing the course lines that striped across her cheekbone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter to get back in my writing groove for this fic. I hadn't intended to take such a long break on it but it's back now. I originally intended to go into cannon and work out how Kya and Lin's relationship would work through all that, but I'm not sure just yet. I may try and wrap this up in 25 chapters so that I can move on to other fic ideas I have.


	22. Update: What I plan to do with this fic

I know I never wrote a proper conclusion and left this on a cliffhanger of sorts, (and I'm very sorry for that) but I've reached a roadblock in writing right now, especially when it comes to this fic for a few reasons. It's the first fic I ever started and I've really just been winging it the entire time, so no real plot was ever flushed out. Each chapter has just been whatever I come up with at the moment of writing. Since finishing A Touch Of Cinnamon, a fic that I had almost completely scripted first, I've decided that scripting first ultimately leads to my best work and something that I'm proud of. 

I also feel like Lin is more out of character than I would like. I argued before that she acts differently because she has Kya with her, unlike canon, but in reality that was me compensating for my inability to write good conflict. I plan to work on that and let Lin work through her issues because this fic became more Kya-issue-centric than I ever intended. (Kya's issues and feelings are very similar to issues in my own life, so they have always been easier to write in comparison to Lin). Both these characters have separate issues and traumas and to be a good writer it's my job to explore both sides of that. 

So, with all that being said, I'm starting this fic over. I'll still leave the original up (for now) but I'm going to script each chapter out and post it as a new fic completely. I plan to keep the made plot for the most part, and chapters will be the same plotline/idea as the original, but I want to work on adding more drama. I feel like this fic has been pretty mellow for the most part. Any angst has been from something/someone else, and there hasn't been any serious conflict between Kya and Lin as individual people, and that's something important that I intend to work on.

If you already read this fic, I think it will still be worth reading the new installment. Just be warned that the core story is going to be close to this one. 

Thank you so much for reading this fic, as well as my other fic's and I hope to hear from you guys in the future. <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So this is the first public fanfic I have ever made so I hope you like it! Comments and Kudos are really appreciated and motivate me to write more.


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